Cannon Ball
by Riley72
Summary: Kind of sequelspin off to Angels That Won't Return. They've recovered from the mess Satoshi left, but now Leo's having nightmares and who can tel him whats real and what's not?
1. Dreaming Prt 1

**A/N **I don't own the turtles...

so, this's kind of a sequel to Angels That Won't Return... but its more kind of a spin-off... it gets really bizarre pretty quick, because- well, I'm not sleeping again... I only write when I don't sleep, and I don't sleep cos I'm writting... that's screwed...

anyways! hope ya enjoy! it'd be great if ya reviewed, but I don't really re-view- I never know what to say... bleh! onto the story... woot

oh, and uh... for the sake of habit

poof

**Cannon Ball**

**Chapter One- Dreaming Again – Part 1**

Raphael paused. The Candles in the dojo were flickering, casting light into the hall. Raphael grimaced, shoulders tensing. _Guess this means Leo's up._

He took a deep breath, moving for the stairs- maybe-

"Raph." Leo said softly.

_No dice._ Raphael sighed heavily, turning. He already knew the look Leo would have on his face. Raphael looked back up the stairs- his room was _right there_- if he ran for it, he could make it- slam his door and pretend- and... then what? Leo would still be there in the morning. He wouldn't forget.

_Better get it over with. _Raphael shook his head, hiding in his room wouldn't do any good, it didn't do him any good when he was little, and Master Splinter was out to give him a lecture, and it wouldn't do him any good now.

So, steeling himself, preparing himself for the usual lecture, Raphael entered the dojo slowly.

Leo was training- _why d's he only use a few candles? Is it s'posed to be atmospheric or sum'thin'?_ Raphael watched his older brother for a second, the cool, practiced, graceful movements. _Wonder if me or Don or Mikey ever look like that when we're trainin'._

"What's up, Leo?" Raphael asked finally. He hated silence almost more than he hated lectures, because, usually, the longer Leo remained silent, the more he had to say.

There was a long pause, Leo sighed, sheathed his ninjakens, then turned to Raphael.

_Here we go..._ Raphael thought silently- but the look on Leo's face was different this time. He didn't look... like he was about to lecture him. But his look was painful all the same.

"I need... Raph, don't go anywhere tomorrow night, OK?" Leo said.

"What? Why?" Raphael frowned- this wasn't how the lectures usually started. _Maybe he's just tryin' a different angle. Ta catch me unprepared or somethin'._

"Because, I..." Leo shook his head. "I need you to stay here, lead the patrol tomorrow night. You OK with that?" Leo asked, somehow, sounding like Raphael had offended him.

Raphael smiled- sure, he was happy with leading the patrol. But he wanted to know why Fearless wouldn't be doing it. "Why? Ya goin' somewhere?"

"Kind of." Leo muttered. "I just- want to get some time alone."

Raphael frowned. _Maybe... it's... because of Satoshi._

"No, Raph. It hasn't got anything to do with Satoshi." Leo muttered.

_Freaky-ass mind reader._ Raphael shook his head.

"I just... it's been 2 months, and you guys have been watching over me like hawks. I need some space. Just like you, Raph. I need my time alone." Leo said reasonably. "I'll be back before you guys wake up and everything."

Raphael nodded mutely. He knew how it felt. "Sure. Guess I could do that fer ya."

Leo broke into a small smile. "Thanks, Raph."

Raphael nodded, feeling good- he had expected a lecture, and come away with something better. _It's nice, I suppose. That Leo trusts me to lead a patrol. A year or two ago, he would have told us to __**not**__ go on patrol. _

Raphael moved back into the hall, heading for bed.

"Oh, and Raph?" Leo asked quickly.

"Yeah?" Raphael turned.

"I'll give you your lecture tomorrow." Leo said, grinning, before vanishing into the dojo again. He may have been grinning, but Raphael knew he wasn't kidding.

"Freakin' sadist." Raphael muttered, good mood vanishing.

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"Come on Donny- I'm fine!" Leo cried in exasperation.

"Leo, I'm more qualified to say that than you ever will be." Donnatello said, tone aggravatingly reasonable, he didn't have to mention that you couldn't exactly trust Leo's word when it came to his physical, or mental wellness. "Just, listen to me, alright? I understand you need time alone, shell, I know exactly how that feels, but, bear in mind you got really hurt-"

"Two months ago!" Leo interrupted.

"Now you're just being childish." Donnatello said flatly. Leo sighed heavily, gazing at the ceiling.

"Don." Leo sighed.

"Don't Don me. You know it doesn't work." Donnatello said, sounding exasperated as he checked Leo's side. Leo grinned.

"Hey- ow!" Leo shouted, pulling away. "You did that on purpose!" Leo cried out indignantly, holding his left side.

"Doctors Prerogative." Donnatello replied, eye ridge raised. "You're just lucky I didn't give into Raph and Mikey and stick you in a full body cast."

"You wouldn't."

"Oh, I think I would." Donnatello turned back to his computer to disguise his smile.

"Doctors Prerogative, right?" Leo repeated.

"Got it in one." Donnatello replied. Leo didn't move from the chair. "I'm done."

"I know."

"What's up?" Donnatello asked, Leo's prescence distracting him from his computer.

Leo shrugged. "Works for Mikey." He said in way of an explanation. Donnatello stared at him.

"D'ya really wanna spend the next few months immobile? Then, you'll understand what it means to want time alone. Because I'm starting to regret _not_ fixing you up in a full body cast."

"OK! OK!" Leo stood slowly. "Jeeze, when're ya gonna _stop_ using that against me?"

"When it stops working." Donnatello said smugly.

Leo sat back down.

"And when it stops working, I'll actually do it." Donnatello smiled. Leo got up and left. Donnatello smiled and shook his head, then went back to his computer.

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Leo sighed and stretched. So being on his own wasn't all it was cracked up to be. But he wasn't going to go home just yet. He'd fought too hard to get this time alone.

He had gone to check the rooftop where he and Satoshi had fought, even though he knew Satoshi's body wouldn't be there anymore. _Are you really dead, Satoshi? Have we really... seen the end of you?_ Leo sighed, he just wasn't used to things being so... simple. Shredder had come back so many times already, and Leo was willing to bet he'd find ways to come back even more.

So, Satoshi just... dying the first time- seemed far too easy.

_So what if it was easy? We deserve a few breaks... Besides, it wasn't exactly easy..._ Leo sighed again. _Damnit. Just wish... that there was some way for us to be sure..._

Leo stood, his side had started to hurt a little a few minutes ago. _Guess I should head home... If I'm early, maybe Don'll let me off for good behaviour._ Leo smiled, thinking about himself and Raph and Don. _You and me, Raph, we're not so different. I'm holding you down, and right now, Don's holding me down. I'm... I like to think I'm doing it for your own good, and I know Don is doing it for me... _

Leo stretched again, now standing, his side didn't really hurt, it was just... making itself known. _Two months, and it's still not completely healed.._. Leo shook his head in exasperation.

He looked around the neighboring rooftops, and checked his shell-cell again. _I guess patrol went OK, then._ Leo thought mildly, knowing he was just being stupid worrying. _We haven't seen any sign of the Foot since I killed Satoshi... Raph knows how to lead, leading curbs his wild side, he will have been careful. He won't have left anything happen to them._

Leo rubbed the back of his neck, he could feel tiredness coming on, and that decided it for him. His first night of freedom for months or not, he was tired, getting cold, and his side was starting to hurt- besides, he wanted to find out what had happened at patrol.

So, he made his way home, keeping half an eye out for his brothers.

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Leo crept silently into the Lair, all was dark now. But a greenish, blueish glow was now coming from Donnatello's lab. Leo smiled and looked in.

_Donny._ Leo shook his head, his younger brother had- yet again- fallen asleep at his computer. Leo approached silently. "Don, hey, Don, c'mon." Leo whispered softly. Donnatello muttered something.

"Hey, Leo."

"Don't wake up." Leo replied, helping Donnatello onto his bunk.

"'kay." Donnatello muttered and turned onto his front, falling quickly back into sleep.

_Guess patrol went alright, then._ Leo let out a breath he hadn't know he was holding. He sighed in releif and went upstairs. He checked on Michaelangel- who was snoring deeply, saying something about pizza and the Silver Surfer. Leo frowned and closed the door behind him as quietly as possible.

He hung outside Raphael's door for a while- Donnatello had informed them, some time ago, that Raphael was an insomniac. Leo smiled, he could still remember Raphael's reaction. He had stormed off, declaring he was no such thing. Leo opened the door slowly, quietly.

"What're'ya doin'?" Raphael asked, sounding wide awake.

"Nothing. Just checking." Leo sighed- expecting a fight, or at least an argument or a sarcastic reply about Leo's doubts in Raph's ability to lead.

"And? Everything a-OK?"

Leo shook his head, starting to close the door. "I was just worried, Raph, that's all." He muttered.

"It was fine. We didn't- run into any trouble at all, Leo." Raphael said quietly, feeling a twinge of guilt. The tone of Leo's voice when he had just spoken had sounded- defeated. _He probably jus' doesn't wanna fight so late._ Raphael turned over.

"Thanks, Raph." Leo said lightly, and Raphael looked over his shoulder- but the door had closed and Leo had gone.

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Leo jerked up, awake almost instantly. But it took his head a while to focus. He dropped his head again, blinking, then rubbing his eyes.

God, he hated being tried.

He stood up slowly, stifling a yawn, and wishing his head didn't hurt so much. _Today... is just going to be one of those days._ He decided, resigning himself to whatever fate may throw at him today. He blinked a few more times, pulling at his eyes- they hurt so much. He wondered why- they felt so dry. But they were tearing up because they were so tired.

He was very tempted to just crawl back into bed and hide under the covers until whatever was wrong with him wore itself out. He moved for the door, but was hit by a bizarre, twisting sense of vertigo, that while it wasn't pleasant, it wasn't exactly... unpleasant, either.

He steadied himself, righted his footing, then stood in silence for a few moments. After the vertigo, had come this strange feeling that he was still asleep, merely dreaming that he was awake. Leo shook his head, and after a few seconds the feeling vanished.

Leo left his room quietly, he had no idea what the time was- for some reason, he hadn't looked at the clock- or maybe he had... and he just couldn't remember. He looked at the hall, as if seeing it for the first time. Everything was the same, but different. As if Mikey had painted the halls a different shade of the same color and put every picture on the opposite wall. Leo shook his head- he was just being ridiculous.

_So, I don't feel well. Big deal- that is no reason to be thinking Mikey would-_

Besides, he thought mildly, interrupting his attempt at reasoning with himself, I don't smell paint. Despite this, Leo reached out and touched the wall with one finger, he drew the hand away- nothing. He rubbed his fingers together, still nothing.

_You've cracked, Leo._ A voice sounding distinctly Raph-like said flatly.

Leo ignored the nagging voice, and the twinge of doubt at the hall, at his room- at the day. Everything felt... not wrong, exactly, just... off kilter a bit. Like everything had been moved a few inches to the left, or something stupid.

_Something Mikey would do._ Leo sighed and went into the living room. By the looks of things, no one else was up yet. _Finally, something normal._ Leo chastised himself, _everything __**is**__ normal. You're just being stupid._

Leo moved into the dojo, a slight pounding starting in the back of his head. _I'll just... see how I feel after I warm up... Then... Maybe I'll go back to bed._

_I'm just tired, that's all. Maybe I'm starting to get the flu..._ Leo continued to reason with himself as he started to warm up.

"Leo?" Michaelangelo asked, appearing in the doorway of the dojo. "What're'ya doing?"

"Training." Leo replied, frowning. Michaelangelo entered the dojo, standing beside Leo. He reached out and touched Leo's shoulder. "What are _you_ doing?"

"Ya sure you ain't dreaming?"

"What? Mikey, what's wrong?" Leo frowned. His little brother seemed... different. Not wrong, but not right. _Damnit, am I ever going to shake this feeling?_

"I'm fine. Nightmares. Maybe I'm dreaming." Michaelangelo mused.

"Mikey." Leo sighed. _Look's like we've both cracked._

"Maybe we're dead."

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Leo jerked up, awake almost instantly. But it took his head a while to focus. He dropped his head again, blinking, then rubbing his eyes.

_Dreaming._ He said softly, scowling as the dream came back to him. He got up out of bed, and moved downstairs. Michaelangelo was sprawled on the sofa, the TV was on- but the sound was down. Leo frowned.

Donnatello stepped into the living room, out of his lab. Leo frowned at him, and Donnatello led him into the kitchen. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine. What's going on?" Leo asked.

Donnatello watched Leo carefully for a few seconds. "How do you know when you're awake? How do you know this is real?"

"Don..." Leo sighed. He shook his head.

"What?" Donnatello frowned. Leo left the kitchen- Michaelangelo was gone, the TV was still on, the sound still down. Donnatello followed quietly. Too quietly, like he was floating. _Like he was dead._ The thought came unwelcome into Leo's mind.

"I'm going back to bed." Leo said tersely.

"Why? Do you know you're dreaming?"

"I know I'd better not be awake." Leo muttered.

"Maybe you're not dreaming." Michaelangelo said, sitting on the back of the sofa, now the TV was off. Leo turned to Michaelangelo. "Maybe you're dead."

Leo sighed heavily. He didn't know what to think- didn't really want to think anymore. He just wanted to go back to bed and wake up.

"How do you know you'll wake up? Maybe- this is reality. Maybe the other place is the dream."

"Yeah, well then I'd rather be there. This isn't reality."

"How do you know?" Donnatello frowned.

Leo shrugged. "I just do."

Michaelangelo walked over slowly. "I think, sometimes, my dreams are so real, I'd like to stay there too."

Leo shook his head again. "Just... go away."

"Why? We're here because you want us here." Michaelangelo whined.

"Then where's Raph?" Leo challenged.

"Sleeping. Of course." Donnatello smiled. Leo grimaced. His younger brother's face twisted, he had- too many teeth, bone white, his eyes were too large- blood shot. His younger brother scared him. Leo didn't know why, but staring at his two youngest brothers, he started to feel fear boil up inside him.

Leo made for the stairs. Michaelangelo back flipped over him and landed gracefully on the stairs. "Why are you leaving? Don't you like it here?"

"No, I don't." Leo replied flatly.

"But... this's home." Donnatello said quietly.

"No, it ain't. This's a dream. And I'm gonna go and make sure I wake up this time." Leo snapped, moving past Michaelangelo easily.

"Ever wondered what happens if you go to sleep while you're dreaming?" Donnatello asked mildly.

"Hopefully, I'll wake up."

"Your logic is twisted. Go to sleep in a dream, wake up in reality? Why would that work?"

"Why wouldn't it?"

"You know what happens if you die in your dreams?" Donnatello asked, in the same, quiet, soft- almost dangerous tone. Leo paused. He didn't like where this was going. "Scientists think you die in real life too. Your heart just stops."

Raphael appeared infront of Leo. "Leo? What are you doing here?"

"Trying to get out." Leo said flatly.

Raphael frowned. "I don't know if you can." Leo's eyes narrowed.

"Why?"

"I don't know." Raphael shrugged, seeming- younger, more innocent, like a child.

"What is it, Raph?" Michaelangelo asked.

"I don't know."

Leo frowned. "Come with me, Raph."

"Where are you going?"

"Home."

"This is home." Raphael said confidently.

"No, this isn't. This- is a dream." Leo said quietly.

Raphael's frown deepened. He looked around the lair.

"I don't know where the door is." Raphael said quietly, voice despairing.

"Come on Raph. Now!" Leo yelled- fear now over-whelming him. He grabbed Raphael by the arm and pulled him up the stairs at a jerking run- Raphael followed behind him, body seeming more to spasm than run- like a puppet being dragged up the stairs.

The hall grew longer under Leo's feet- and the sense of vertigo hit him again- he stumbled, Raphael crashed into him- they fell.

Michaelangelo threw back his head and let out a high, hysterical- maddness filled laugh.

"Damnit Raph! Geddup!" Leo screamed, voice suddenly high with fear, he dragged Raphael down the ever lengthening hallway. "We have to get out!"

"This place- doesn't have any doors." Raphael said softly.

"What?" Leo looked to the sides of the hall- doors hung- in picture frames- none open- none real. _This's just a dream. Just a dream- I'll wake up any second- I'll wake up!_

_**"Wake up!"**_

_Run- run- run- run- runrunrrunrunrunrunrunrunrunr-_

Not fast enough- Leo pulled harder on Raphael's arm. He could see Donnatello and Michaelangelo's shadows on the hallway walls- twisting horribly- becoming-

_something else._

_**"Wake up Leo!"**_

"Come on Raph!"

The hallway twisted under Leo's feet, Raphael staggered- stairs-

Leo felt his foot slip- he began to fall down the stairs- but there was no end- just darkness- like jaws- horrible, large sharp teeth- and laughter.

Mikey's insane laughter-

_**"Wake up! Wake Up!"**_

The words became one in Leo's mind- and he-

falling-

_falling-_

_**Wake up-**_

Michaelangelo grabbed Raphael- his arm slipped from Leo's grasp.

Donnatello's words echoed in Leo's mind as he fell- body twisting in the shadows- becoming- what?

_You know, if you die in dreams, your heart just stops. You die in a dream. you die in reality too._

_**Wake up!**_

"No!"

Darkness

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I hope it was OK, gah, I'm cold. it's always so cold downstairs at night... I don't know why... well- you probably don't really care... meh...

ok-I hope ya enjoyed, reviews would be great- it probably gets weirder- I'm in a weird mood right now... pondering the meaning onf the universe and reality and...

well, yeah.

poof


	2. Dreaming Prt 2

**A/N **don't own the turtles... boy, am I sick of that sentance.

moving on... bla blah blah... OK, not thats out of my system, hope ya enjoy the next installation of Cannon Ball- oh, and a friendly word of warning, I've got weirder, so this chapter has got weirder- hopefully, all shall return to normal when I get outta this funk I'm in!

**Chapter One – Dreaming – Part 2 **

"Leo! Bro- Dude- calm down! You where having a nightmare!" Michaelangelo yelled, holding Leo by his shoulders.

Leo blinked quickly, focusing on his youngest brothers face. "Mike?" He whispered, touching his face weakly. "Are you... you're..."

"Dude, you're like totally tripping out." Michaelangelo said quietly.

Leo's strained face broke into a smile and he grabbed Michaelangelo in a tight embrace. He pulled away after a few seconds though, and untwisted his legs from his blanket. "What.. what time is it?"

"Bout 4 in the morning." Michaelangelo answered. "I just going down for a glass 'a water, and I heard you screaming." Michaelangelo grinned. "Nice to know I'm not the _only_ one who gets nightmares. What happened?"

Leo shrugged. "Ah... I can't really remember... mostly, images- shadows. And- a clock, or something to do with time, and death..." Leo shrugged again, he didn't like lying, but he didn't want to think about his dream, much less explain it to Michaelangelo. He heard Michaelangelo's insane laughter again and a shiver ran down his spine. "Is Raph OK?"

"Raph? Yeah... he's fine. Why?"

"He was there too."

"Wow. No wonder it was a nightmare." Michaelangelo laughed weakly. Leo shook his head.

"I'm OK now Mikey. Thank... thank you."

"Sure, bro.." Michaelangelo moved to the doorway. "Hey... you wanna bunk with me?"

"What? No... uh, I'll be fine." Leo nodded, Michaelangelo shrugged, then left quietly.

Leo lay back for a few minutes, dwelling on his nightmare- trying to work out what had caused it- _it all... it seemed... so real... Not like a dream at all._

He tossed and turned for a while, before finally shrugging off any hope that he would get back to sleep. He got up slowly, body aching, tired- as if he hadn't slept at all. Tension set knots into his shoulders and neck, and a stress headache began to build up. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, making for the dojo.

He had meant to train, work out the tension- but, instead, he sat down slowly, rolling his neck a few times, he let his aching eyes close, head starting to pound, he let his body relax a little, ignoring the ache in his shoulders and neck, and the banging in his head, mainly around his right temple, and began meditating.

_It was a dream. It had to be a dream. This is reality. I __**know**__ it is. It __**has**__ to be. _Leo shook his head, and took a deep breath. _Don't think about it. Just... don't think about it- it was too... too horrible to be anything near reality._

_It doesn't matter, it was a dream- just a dream. Doesn't matter anymore._

_I'm awake now._

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He's tired.

So tired. He wonders if he's ever been this tired- if he has, it hasn't been for a long, long time. He then tries to work out _why_ he's so tried- but his mind can't focus- his right shoulder hurts now. A stabbing pain, not too bad, but almost constant, like someone repeatedly stabbing a knife into his shoulder- he feels it, as if he is... parted from his body, more senses than feels it. It's strange, he knows it hurts- it's even affecting his chest- his breathing.

But the pain- it doesn't really hurt.

"It hurts. I think"

"What?

He snaps back to reality. He looks up.

"Leo?" Donnatello asked softly. "What's wrong?"

"I'm..." Leo frowns- what was he thinking? He can't remember. "What time is it?"

Time has changed- what meaning does time actually have? Does it... why does time matter so much? You never have enough- or you always have too much. Now his arm hurts.

"Bout 6." Donnatello looks at his brother, worried. "Are you alright?"

"Tired." Leo struggles to breathe- he can feel the oxygen getting in, feel his chest rising and falling, but it's not enough. He can feel the rush of too much oxygen on his brain- hyperventilating... He slows his breathing even more, taking shallow breaths.

Not enough oxygen- too much oxygen. Just like time, too much, or not enough.

It's strange. But now his left arm is horribly tired. He can feel his heart pounding in his chest, strangely, he can feel it more in his back than his chest. He feels sick- but sick isn't quite the word either. His pulsing, hammering heart beat travels to his stomach.

"I feel sick." Leo mutters, then stands- his legs... feel strange. Like he's... floating. Not really standing. Like the muscles have been... relaxed, to a point were they won't respond any more.

A puppet, with it's strings cut.

Leo stands there a while. Donnatello doesn't take his eyes from his oldest brother. "Leo?" Donnatello stands slowly, approaches Leo. "What is it?"

Leo takes a breath- he'd been holding his breath for a while. Since he felt himself starting to hyperventilate, really. But already- he feels like he's got too much air, too much oxygen in his system. He swallows- his throat is tight.

"What's wrong with me?" He says aloud- without meaning to. He sits down again, allowing his body to slouch, to fold in on itself. His stomach feels- empty. Like he hasn't had enough to eat, but the feeling of hunger hasn't reached his brain yet.

"Leo?" Donnatello demands- Leo can hear the panic rising in his brothers voice.

"Don't worry, Donny. I'm just... I'm gonna go to bed, OK? I'm really tired. I can't really- think. I'm just a little... exhausted." Leo smiles. At least his arm doesn't hurt anymore.

But he doesn't want to sleep- doesn't want to dream again.

Doesn't want to hear Michaelangelo's manical laughter, doesn't want to see the malice on Donnatello's face- but most of all, doesn't want to see the child-like fear and innocence on Raphael's face.

"Don, I'm having trouble sleeping." Leo sighs- there... that feels better. Donnatello can help, he'll know what to do. "I have horrible... dreams."

Donnatello sits beside Leo. "Like, what?"

"I don't really want to talk about them." Leo explains, feeling pathetic, cowardly. Why doesn't he want to talk about them? He can't stop thinking about them.

Donnatello reaches for him- perhaps to offer comfort, perhaps to offer a solution, or maybe to ask more questions.

Doesn't matter anymore.

"I just- I'm just going to bed." Leo interrupts and stands quickly.

Suddenly, he realizes the problem. But before he can accept it, he wants to be as far away from Donny, and Mikey and Raph as possible. He retreats to his room quickly, ignoring the worried look Donny gives his retreating back.

He gets into bed weakly, after making sure the door is locked, body starting to fail him even as he pulls the covers up and turns away from the door.

Now, safe from his brothers, from... whatever it is he needs to hide from, he can face his realization.

_I feel... like I'm dreaming again..._

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hope it wasn't too painful! suggestions, praise, critisism- all is welcome!

I do have an excuse for this chapter, and the first chapter- I never really cared for Alice in Wonderland- to tell the truth, the cheshire cat kinda scared me... even tho he's kninda cool- anyways... I feel like I've just mooched on through the looking glass, fallen down the rabbit hole, whatever...

things feel different, but the same- so what Leo's going through, I'm kinda going through too, and all the physical and mental symptons thingies he just described- well, I wrote down what I was feeling, as I felt it! bleh...

so anyways, hope ya enjoyed. I may update it, or I may delete it! depends how I feel when I return to reality.

poof


	3. Old Friends

**A/N **don't own the turtles.

OK, so this's where the almost creepy factor ends- just for a little while, the creepy factor oughta be back for the next chapter. the goood news is, unlike Angels That Won't Return, I DO have an outline for this story- woot! And I'm gonna try my best to stick to it... problem is, I wrote the end first, like ATWR, it was supposed to be a one-shot, but, then- I decided, no, I shall wite a spin-off of ATWR... lol.

so, I hope ya enjoy this chapter, it's not creepy, but hopefully, it's just as good, it may be hard to read in some parts, and I'm apologising now for the fight scene, towars the end- I still can't write fight scenes, but hopefully, you get the idea!

well, I hope ya enjoy! The creepy factor shall be back for the next chapter- I should think. So, read on- and please enjoy & review!

poof

**Chapter Three – Old Friends**

Leo sighed, eyes on his ceiling. It was early. He stood finally, composing himself. "I'm awake. I know I'm awake." He repeated, until he got to his door and entered the hall. He scanned the walls, the doors, the floor- everything. It all seemed- normal. Real.

He shook his head, he was just being... stupid...? No. Cautious. After all the dreams he'd been having, there was no harm in merely being cautious.

"Leo?" Michaelangelo asked quietly. Leo flinched.

"Yeah, Mikey?" Leo replied- recovering quickly. Michaelangelo frowned at him.

"Ya OK?" Michaelangelo asked in the same, semi-worried tone.

"Fine. Why?" Leo scowled.

"You just... I dunno." Michaelangelo shrugged, at a loss. "Did ya just wake up?" Leo nodded.

"Yeah."

"Dude- really? That means- for like, the first time _ever_ Raph beat you out of bed!" Michaelangelo laughed. Leo stared at him. It was Mikey's laugh, his normal laugh- not some... manical- insane, laugh that was more a scream.

"I'm having some trouble... sleeping." Leo said finally. _Actually, I think the trouble lies not in the sleeping... but in the waking up part._

"Yeah, Donny said something 'bout that. You were like... really spaced out the other day, huh?"

Leo nodded, sighing. It was getting harder and harder for him to tell between what he dreamt- what he _hoped to god_ was a dream-... and reality. Usually, there were differences, mostly feelings that would warn him, little things that gave the... -dream- away.

"You wanna talk 'bout it?"

Leo frowned. "No." He smiled. "Come on, you guys have had enough slack the last few days."

"What?"

"Training." Leo offered, as if it was a strange thing that was now unheard of. Michaelangelo groaned theatrically.

"And here we were hoping you'd forgotten."

"You should be so lucky. And, we have a lot of missed practices and missed training sessions to make up for." Leo grinned.

"Noooooooo..." Michaelangelo cried. "Come on, bro- that's really cold, even for you! You can't expect us to make up for _all_ the training we've missed..." Too late, Michaelangelo realized he'd said the wrong thing.

"Well, not today, of course. But it seems we've missed a lot more than I first thought, so... I'd say, a week?"

"A week..." Michaelangelo's face fell.

"I'm kidding, Mikey." Leo smiled, directing his youngest brother down the hall. Michaelangelo made a good show of sighing in relief and wiping the worried sweat from his brow. Leo grinned wider, and patted his brother on the back. "Two weeks."

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From the moment Leo stepped into the dark hallway, he knew something was wrong. Like usual, he could not tell what it was, exactly, that was wrong, but he had grown to recognize the strong wave of cold dread that washed over him.

He wanted to turn back, to hide in his room, but he couldn't- for some reason, his body was hit by a wave of urgency, the kind of fear and need to move and move quickly that he usually got when one of his brothers was in trouble.

So, he continued on, through the place that looked that home, smelt like home, sounded like home- but didn't feel like home.

"Raph?" Leo asked quietly, in this- place, that was- and wasn't, home- he did not want to have to face Michaelangelo or Donnatello ever again.

"L-leo? What are you doing here?" Raphael flinched, turning quickly. Leo frowned.

"What are _you _doing here? Surely, you don't... belong here... You're... you're not... twisted- like Don and Mikey... " Leo trailed off. Raphael smiled, which scared him just as the blood-lust in Donnatello's eyes ever had.

"Yeah, I am."

Leo searched his brothers eyes, then realized, yes... Raph was twisted. But- he'd come out differently from Don and Mike, because he-

"Why do you keep coming back here?" Raphael whispered. Leo looked at the walls.

"I can't help it. I don't want to come here- but everytime I close my eyes..."

"Or maybe every time you open them. _this_ could be reality."

"Not you, too Raph. Please." Leo sighed and sat down, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

Raphael sat opposite him. "Mike and Don- are... well- I dunno where they are. They just- go off sometimes. You'd best... get out, before they get back-"

"Come with me." Leo said suddenly, surprising himself.

"What?"

"You're in as much danger here as I am-"

"Don't be stupid, Leo. I can't... go were you go, when you drea-"

"This is not reality!" Leo exploded. "This is not _home_- Raph! This is- some twisted, screwed up- version of home- just like- just like..." Leo trailed off, as Michaelangelo and Donnatello came into the room, both grinning wildly, manic, hungry expressions on their faces. "Just like them- they're... screwed up versions of the _real_ Mikey and Don..."

"Well, well, I wasn't expecting you to visit again so soon, Leo." Donnatello smirked. "But, seeing as you're here, why don't you stay for dinner?"

"Leo-! Let's go!" Raphael bellowed, pulling a stunned Leo from the chair and out of the room, into the hall-

_Oh no. Not this again._

"There's no doors, Leo. I don't know _how_ you get out but-" Raphael pulled them both into his room, and slammed the door. "-but you'd better get out soon!"

"Raph- come with me- they'll- they're gonna..." Leo shook his head. The door shook under Raphael. "Raph!"

"Go! Get out, Leo! Please-!" Raphael shouted, lurching forward, before slamming his weight back down on the door, holding it down.

_**"Leo! Leo- wake up! It's just a nightmare!"**_

Raphael's head snapped up to Leo. "See-?! Leo cursed. The world around him started to blur- Raphael started to fade out. "Raph!"

"_**I'm here Leo- !"**_

"No! Raph!" Leo screamed, reaching for Raphael- even as Raphael flew forwards, door bouncing off the wall with the force.

"Leo!" Raphael cried in desperation- but he passed right through his older brother. Leo jerked, a vague feeling of pain hitting him, he curled over- as if wrapping his arms around Raphael- but it was-

"Raph!" Leo shouted- fighting against- what? his brothers- holding him- Mike and Don grinning violently-

they had him- he couldn't-

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"Leo!" Raphael yelled.

"No!" Leo jerked- fighting against Michaelangelo and Donnatello. "Raph!" He tried to push both his youngest brothers away, as if- as if, he feared them.

Raphael shoved Michaelangelo and Donnatello out of the way and grabbed his oldest brothers wrists. "Leo. Leo, it's me. I'm here. Leo-"

"...No..." Leo's body went limp with exhaustion. "I'm... I'm sorry Raph."

"What? What the _shell_ are you sorry for?" Raphael demanded. Leo's eyes opened.

"Raph?" He frowned in the dim light.

"Who d'hell else d'ya expect?! The flippin' ToothFairy?" Raphael snapped, Michaelangelo giggled nervously.

Leo looked away, and swallowed. "What happened, Leo?" Donnatello asked quietly.

"Nightmare." Leo offered stubbornly.

"Couldda fooled me, bro." Michaelangelo quipped. "What was it 'bout?"

"Sugar and candy canes." Leo muttered and brushed past his brothers.

"Leo." Raphael said, tone dangerous. Donnatello shook his head, a hand on Raphael's shoulder.

"Let him go, he'll come round." Donnatello sighed. _It's happening all over again, Leo. You're pushing us away again._

"Y'know, recently, all we ever seem to do is run around in freakin' circles." Michaelangelo said, half good-naturedly, half serious.

Donnatello looked at Mikey, and sighed again. "He-"

"Just needs some time." Michaelangelo and Raphael finished in unision.

Donnatello cracked a weak smile. "Hopefully this time around, he won't need so much time."

"Pfft. Whatever. I'm goin' back ta bed." Raphael grumbled, before stalking off.

Donnatello turned his head in Michaelangelo's direction, but didn't really look at him. "Want me to go and check on him?" Michaelangelo offered.

"Nah, not yet Mike. Let him train a bit." Donnatello patted his younger brothers shoulder, before heading for his own room.

_All we ever seem to do is run around in freakin' circles. _Donnatello shook his head, _we're just stuck in a rut, right now. We'll get out of it. And just get stuck in another one._

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Leo looked around his room, his _real_ room, he had been unable to concentrate on training, and so had called an end to it sooner than usual. Now, a few hours later, he was up here, alone. About to do something he never thought he would find himself doing.

The thought had struck him while he had been sparring with- Raphael. He had knocked Raphael down, disarming him- and then frozen.

_I have to go back._ Leo shook his head- it had to be one of the top ten, stupidest things he'd ever thought about doing in his life. He placed his ninjaken's by his bed, hoping that they would be there- in that place, too.

He lay down slowly, using everything he had to close his eyes.

_I have to go back. I have to- make sure that Raph is OK._

He looked around his room worriedly. _This... is so stupid. _Leo sighed wearily. He was tired- but maybe, after he had made sure Raph was alright- he would be able to find out, how or why- he went to that... place. And find out how to stop going there.

_I just have to make sure he's alright._

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This time around, Leo didn't groan nor sigh, he smiled weakly, not sure if he should be satisfied that he had- come here, again, or not. He knew- instantly, that he wasn't home. He turned over and rubbed his face- he was tired, so tired. He suppose, technically, he hadn't really, properly, deeply slept for over two weeks. He'd had- naps, a few hours sleep, perhaps, before- the nightmares, or whatever they were, hit him. But, that didn't matter- he would have to ignore the tiredness, the fear- everything, because he was here, this time, for a reason.

Of course, now, he had _no doubt_, in his mind, that these were more than nightmares. But that just made it all the worse.

Because that meant, that his- brothers- in this... place, were real- and Raphael- was in real, hard, cold danger. That thought summoned him out of his despair. He sat up, and then stood, picking up his ninjaken's from beside his bed. He moved to the door- then stopped.

He moved over to his bookshelf, frowning. Then, he drew down one book he hadn't read in a while, and marked one page, somewhere towards the middle with a pen. He nodded, then left the room silently.

He listened to the sound of the- lair. _Nothing_. No talking, no TV, no click-clack of a computer keyboard. Satisfied, he hurried down the hall, sticking to the shadows, until he reached Raphael's room. He opened the door slowly, silently. He waited for his eyes to adjust, before slipping in and closing the door.

"Raph?" He asked, voice hoarse- barely even a whisper.

"Leo."

Leo flipped on the light switch- Donnatello was standing in the corner of the room, behind Raphael's punching bag.

"I knew you were coming tonight- I've developed- a feeling, for this sort of thing. And I know you'd come to check on Raph." Donnatello smiled, face twisting into some horrible, gruesome mask.

Leo ripped open the door, all thoughts of stealth and silence forgotten. "Raph?! Where is he?" Leo demanded, backing out of the room, eyes on Donnatello- senses waiting for any hint of Michaelangelos appearance.

"Somewhere... safe." Donnatello said, as if tasting the words before speaking them. The - venom, on his face, sent a cold thrill of fear through Leo.

"He had better be OK." Leo warned. Donnatello smiled.

Michaelangelo stepped into the hall. "Oh, hey Leo- Donny told me he was expecting you." Michaelangelo said conversationally- as if, this- everything- was completely normal.

Leo cut his attention between them both, taking a few steps back so that he could see them both. His body was tense- ready to fly into action at the first movement from Donnatello or Michaelangelo. "Where's Raph?" Leo repeated.

Michaelangelo laughed. "Where do you think he is?"

Leo stared hard at Michaelangelo for a few seconds, then fixed his attention back on both of them.

"Don't be afraid, Leo, we're not going to hurt you. You're our big bro-"

"No- I'm _not!_" Leo interrupted harshly. Michaelangelo looked at him, sulking.

"Well, if that's how you feel." Donnatello smiled, and drew his bo-staff, leveling it at Leo. Leo's head snapped to Donnatello- only for his attention to snap back to Michaelangelo, who was now holding his nun-chuks at the ready.

Leo drew his ninjaken's slowly, carefully, watching them like a cornered animal. Donnatello winked at him- and- an image of Raphael- in the infirmary flashed before his eyes. Leo's concentration broke- and Michaelangelo and Donnatello both leapt at him.

Leo ducked quickly- barely managing to evade both attacks. He rolled back to his feet, poised- ready to strike. Donnatello and Michaelangelo shared a look.

"You hurt him." Leo said carefuly.

"Not too much." Michaelangelo smiled, and leapt at him, Donnatello pounced a second later.

Leo's ninjaken's flashed- escaping a trap by Michaelangelo's nun-chuks barely. He blocked Donnatello's staff and sent a kick to Michaelangelo's plastron- sending him flying back. He twisted back to Donnatello, swooping his left ninjaken up- then, while Donnatello's attention was on his left ninjaken- Leo disarmed him easily, sweeping his legs from under him. He darted past Michaelangelo quickly- running down the hall, down the stairs- through the living room.

"Raph!" Leo gasped, throwing the door open. "Damn. Raph-!" Raphael's eyes opened, he frowned.

"Leo? You... came back?" Raphael asked, puzzled.

"I wasn't gonna leave you alone." Leo muttered. "Come on, Donnatello and Michaelangelo are-"

"Behind you!" Raphael bellowed, sitting up quickly. Leo turned, drawing one ninjaken- blocking Donnatello's staff. Leo knocked him back and drew his second ninjaken, slipping between Raphael and his other- brothers.

"Can you fight?" Leo asked quietly. Raphael grinned and punched his palm in reply.

"It's 'bout time I returned the favor." He said, Leo hid a smile. _You're not- as twisted as Donnatello or Michaelangelo... Of course, you're different to Raphael- my Raphael... but, you're still the same._

Leo ducked out of the way- Donnatello and Michaelangelo tried to follow- but Raphael swept Michaelangelo's legs from under him. "No, no, no. You're mine." Raphael snapped.

Donnatello looked over his shoulder at Michaelangelo and Raphael.

"Hey- Leo... you got a plan?"

"Sure I do. Don't I always?" Leo muttered. "We beat the shell outta these two!"

"And? After that?" Raphael grunted, taking a punch to the side of his face, he staggered back- then tackled Michaelangelo, smashing Michaelangelo's right fist into the ground until, with a cry, Michaelangelo released his nun-chuk.

"After that- I'm open to suggestions!" Leo yelled, blocking an attack from Donnatello's bo staff, he slammed the flat of one of his ninjaken's into Donnatello's right upper arm. Donnatello snarled something and his right arm flopped, numb. Leo's attention snapped to Michaelangelo and Raphael.

Donnatello flew at Leo- who dodged and rolled- and came up twisting, sending a kick into Donnatello's shell. Donnatello flew forwards, catching the wall.

Leo leapt back, and Raphael stood, they met in the middle of the room. "This makes a change." Leo muttered.

"What?"

"In... where I- belong... me and Raph- would be ripping each others throats out by now." Leo muttered. "Come on- to the dojo. We need to get your weapons."

"How'd'ya know they were in the dojo?" Raphael frowned. Leo stared at him, then shrugged.

"Lucky guess." Leo offered. Raphael ran to the dojo, Leo following behind- he waited at the door- holding Donnatello and Michaelangelo off until Raphael had found his sai's.

"So, after beating the shell outta them... you have no idea _what_ we're gonna do?" Raphael queried.

"Pretty much." Leo replied, slipping lightly backwards. "You got any ideas?"

Raphael looked away. "You're the plan-man." He offered lamely.

"We have to... get you someplace- safe." Leo said quietly. _So... whoever this place is- it's basically... the opposite of my home... So, surely, the most dangerous place for us... in my world... __**should**__ be the safest possible place in this world._ "It's gonna be a risk." There were still many things that were the same, if not, identical to his home.

Raphael nodded. "Bro, we _deal_ in the risky business."

Leo nodded slowly. He threw Donnatello back- Donnatello bounced off the wall- landed hard, Leo flinched. "Fair play."

"Sounds like you've got a plan. What's happening? Where are we going?"

"We're gonna... pay an old friend a visit."

"Which old friend would this be? April and Casey- are just as... as- just like these two." Raphael finished weakly.

Leo nodded. "The Shredder."

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So, hope ya enjoyed, and please review- i love it when I get reviews! any suggestions would be great too! so, I hope this chapter was OK.

so, thanks for reading, I love you guys, it's awesome!

OK, oh, and I know it's only been a couple of days since I updated, but it feels like years! and writing and reading the fics have become my vice, my anti-drug, whatever!

Oh! and- I FINALLY watched the movie! yay... I missed half of it, because I was so busy squealing and laughing and- yeah... well, you get the picture! lol. I nearly cried when I unwrapped it (Late birthday present!), I musta been amusing to watch, never mind the movie... so, anyways... suppose you didn't really needa know what freaky fangirl I am... mooving on... lol.

hopefully, I'll update either later today, or tomorrow. Oh, and I don't think this story will be too long-

wow... I keep rambling.

so, I'll shuddup and leave ya alone now.

poof


	4. Explantions

**A/N don't own the turtles.**

so, I apologise profusely for this chapter- because I COMPLETELY forgot to proof read it, until like, right now- and I'm in a hurry, so PLEASE, PLEASE forgive the spelling and stuff.

and thanks so much for the reviews! it's so awesome to get some feedback- you guys are freakin' legends! hahahaha. anyways, I hope ya enjoy the next chapter...

**poof**

**Chapter Four - Explanations**

Raphael faltered, staggering forwards. Leo cut a wild look to him- he was hurt, tired- _he can't hold out much longer- and we still have to get into Shredders HQ._ Leo trapped Donnatello's bo-staff between his two ninjakens, and twisted- throwing the staff somewhere behind him- without waiting to knock Donnatello back or down or out- Leo cut infront of Raphael and Michaelangelo- doing the only thing he could to block Michaelangelo's attack.

He blocked with his ninjaken. Michaelangelo smiled and twisted his nun-chuk, to disarm Leo- but Leo could _not_ afford to loose a ninjaken- so he went with the twist, throwing himself over Michaelangelo's shoulder and landing gracefully- his sword now free from Michaelangelo's nun-chuk. He kicked Michaelangelo as hard as he could, Michaelangelo shouted in alarm and fell forwards.

Raphael pushed him, catching Michaelangelo in the chest with his left shoulder- and knocked him back, into the wall. "Leo!" Raphael yelled.

Leo spun- _stupid!_ He cursed himself for being distracted so easily- Donnatello slammed his retreived bo staff into Leo's chest. Leo doubled over, gasping for breath- Donnatello whiped his staff out of the way and swung to knock Leo's feet from under him.

Leo stepped forward, punching Donnatello quickly- so suddenly, that Donnatello staggered and fell. Leo swung his sword down- for Donnatello's neck. His face twisted and his breath caught- the sword stopping a matter of inches from Donnatello's neck.

His expression turned to one of horror- and his ninjaken shook.

"Sentimental fool." Donnatello hissed- sweeping Leo's feet from under him- at least, that was what he had aimed to do- but Leo had thrown himself back, landing beside Raphael.

"Let's go." Leo said quietly, eyes burning with a silent horror.

Raphael nodded slowly. "OK."

"Can you run?"

"Sure I can run. I just can't fight for much longer." Raphael answered mildly. Leo sheathed his ninjaken's, eyes now hollow. He cut one last look to Donnatello, who was still lain on the ground, then he ran.

Donnatello smiled. Michaelangelo sat up with a groan. "I'm never gonna get used to getting beaten up." He sighed.

"Don't worry, Mikey. Leo- had pefect chance to kill me, and he leapt back." Donnatello stood, and offered a hand to Michaelangelo.

"So?"

"So, he's weak. He knows we will hurt him- but he can't bring himself to hurt us." Donnatello cracked a violent smile. "This battle is ours."

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Raphael crouched close behind Leo, hidden deep in the shadows. Leo rubbed his eyes for a second, eyes on Shredder's tower.

"What're we gonna do? How're we gonna get in?" Raphael whispered.

_I feel like I'm about to walk into the lion's den. But- it's all I can think of. April and Casey- are just as twisted as Don and Mike- so... heres hoping that Shredder's twisted too._ Leo thought numbly.

"Front door." Leo muttered. He drew his ninjaken's again, and ran towards the building at a low, smooth crouch.

"Maybe we shouldda made an appointment." Raphael replied, before after pausing for a second, tore after Leo, sai's catching in the organe glow from the city streets below. Leo didn't pause- just threw himself from one building, flipping through the air, landing on the grassy area beside Shredders front door, he looked back for Raphael, who followed him just as silently.

_Where are all the ninja's?_ Leo looked around suspiciously. He slipped up to the front door and pulled it open, slipping into the cool darkness silently. The polished, smooth floor was cold under his feet, and he suppressed a shiver. _It looks... dead- like no one..._ _like the Tower isn't used anymore._

Leo led the way to the stair-well, skipping past the elevator. Raphael sighed, and followed his brother to the stairs, preparing himself for a long, drawn out, exhausting run. But Leo paused, foot on the first step.

"What is it?" Raphael whispered, nearly bumping into him.

Leo scowled. His grip tightened on his ninjaken's. "Elevator."

"Say... say what?" Raphael recovered.

"Chances are, if Shredder's home, he knows we're here. No sign of Foot Ninja, which means they're waiting for us up top. We take the stairs, we'll be exhausted. We take the elevator, maybe we'll surprise 'em." Leo sighed. He pressed the button, then stepped back, watching the floor counter above the elevator doors.

"Leo?" Raphael questioned. Leo seemed- restless, his grip was loosening and tightening on his ninjaken's. "What is it?"

"Everytime I've come to this tower, me, or one of my brothers- has been hurt, badly." Leo muttered, shaking his head. "It's just... difficult."

The elevator doors pinged and opened. Leo stepped inside slowly, and Raphael stood beside him. Leo watched the doors close carefully, watching the front hall until the silver doors closed. Leo took a deep breath, then exhaled it, calming himself.

Then, just when he had suitably calmed himself, gotten his emotions under control, another, gut wrenching thought hit him. "Oroku Saki?" He asked weakly.

"What?" Raphael frowned.

"Is... the Shredder- is it... still... Oroku Saki?" Leo croaked out. Raphael stared carefully at Leo. Then everything clicked into place.

"Sorry, Leo... I-I didn't even think..." Raphael trailed off.

"You- what?"

"Did you and... were you and Karai- was there something between you two- in your world too?"

"No. Not- not really. Their might have been. But no." Leo paused. "Why?"

"Because- here- there was." Raphael paused. "There was a _lot_."

The elevator spun in Leo's sight. _Why didn't I even think about it?! __**I**__ should be here- in this world too! But... I'm... I'm not... So- where am I?_ "Where am I?"

"What?" Raphael gaped, worried Leo had lost his mind.

"Your Leo. Where is he?" Leo asked weakly.

Raphael's eyes narrowed, as if trying to see through a thick fog. "Oroku Saki... I... I can't... for some reason... I can't... _my_ Leo... killed Oroku Saki... then, when Karai arrived... there was something between them." Raphael scowled, eyes almost burning holes through the elevator doors as he tried- tried to remember something he _knew_ had been etched into him, into every fibre of his being. "He went to see Karai one night... it seems like... years ago- but he never- never came back."

Leo's head snapped to Raphael. _So... guess that clears it up. This world- I'm dead. And... Karai... is the Shredder._

The elevator doors pinged open. Leo stepped out wearily. _So- that means... she killed me. _

"Come on, Raph." Leo muttered, leading them through the new hall, into- the Shredders room.

They paused in the doorway, no sign of any Foot Ninja, no sign of anyone- not even Karai.

Leo walked into the room carefully. "Where are they all?"

Raphael shrugged nervously, he stayed close to Leo, sai's ready, body taunt, prepared to leap into action at the slightest hint of trouble. "Maybe she's out, havin' her nails done or sumthin'."

Leo raised an eyeridge at Raphael, who shrugged in reply to Leo's skeptical look.

"Bro, she's a chick. She may be a ninja, but that don't mean nothing. A bird, is stilla bird."

"It is good to see your sexist approach to women is unchanged, Raphael."

Leo spun- chest locking at the sight of Karai, crouched up high, in the shadows. "Leonardo?" She whispered, leaping down. She approached him quickly, sure, confident steps- she reached for him, as if to touch his cheek or arm- but he raised his ninjakens. Karai stepped back.

"We are not here for a social visit." Leo said coldly. Karai's eyes narrowed.

"What is it you want, Leonardo? Why come here... again- after so many years?" Karai demanded.

Raphael frowned- _so... I guess... she __**didn't**__ kill him..._

"I'm..." Leo shook his head. "We haven't the time, Karai. We... I need your help."

Karai's eyebrow narrowed, and she smiled. "Oh, yes?" She sauntered back a few steps, putting some distance between them. Leo frowned. "Well, while you need my help, _I_, need an explanation. So, start talking Leonardo." She drew her katana. "Or I shall make _sure_ you sorely regret returning after so many years."

_This isn't going well, and it's only gonna get worse from here on out._ Leo sighed, lifting his ninjakens. _I don't __**have**__ an explanation._

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I know most/some people don't like the idea of Karai and Leo- but you don't have to worry, there won't be any- it's all in the past, and I don't really like it either, BUT, I did it anyway- trust me, it is all for a good old reason! mwahahaha! i didn't do it just to make those of you who don't like it suffer.

so, next chapter should be up soon, hope ya enjoyed- and please keep reading & reveiwing, it's awesome to get feedback and stuff...

poof- and the pinging thing too!


	5. Frankly, my dear

**A/N don't own the turtles**

I'm not too sure of this chapter... but, oh well. One thing, Leo's REAL brothers go by their nick-names; Raph, Donny, and Mikey. The evil, twisted brothers go by their full names; Raphael, Donnatello and Michaelangelo. Hopefully, it won't be too hard to understand, and hopefully, it'll only matter for this chapter. It only applies when all the brothers are togeher, twisted and non-twisted. if that made ANY sense. well, I hope ya enjoy and please reveiw!

**Chapter Five - Frankly, my Dear, I don't give a damn**

"I didn't come to fight Karai!" Leo yelled- leaping backwards, out of the way of her slashing katana. Karai laughed, and followed him.

"Oh? Give me an explanation, Leonardo. That's all I ask." Karai snarled, attacking relentlessly, with attacks stronger and faster- and altogether, more deadly, than the Karai in Leo's home had ever attacked with.

Leo took a deep, controlling breath, then dropped his ninjakens. Karai faltered, katana pausing. Leo watched her carefully, eyes the only thing that moved. "Leo!" Raphael shouted, leaping forwards, Leo held up a hand to stop Raphael.

"What are you playing at, Leonardo? Do you think I _won't_ kill you?!" Karai spat, rage sparking inside her. "You hurt me! You left- abandoned me! Not one word- did... you never even _thought_ about how much your leaving would hurt me!" Karai cried vehemently. "You hurt me so much, Leonardo. When we might have _finally_ been able to be together- you just- _left_... am I not good enough for you? Do I not deserve to be happy?!"

Leo swallowed. This Karai, was so different to the Karai he knew. He didn't look away from her angry gaze, could not lower his eyes.

"After all we went through- and you _just up and leave_ when things start to work out?! How could you?!" Karai leapt for him, raising her blade.

"Leo!"

Karai swung her katana down- but stopped dead, edge of her katana inches from Leo's neck. "Do you still think I will not?" Leo had not even flinched. "You hurt me-"

"Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn." Leo hissed through clenched teeth, for some reason, facing her now, her words, her pain- reminded him of some silly old romance movie he had been forced to watch with April, after Casey had done something particularly stupid, and the most famous line of the movie had stuck with him, most because April loved the line so much. "This is not about me and you- there was never- will _never_ be a you and me. This is about Raphael and Donnatello and Michaelangelo!"

Karai recoiled, lowering her katana. Her eyes narrowed angrily.

"I can't give you an explanation because I don't have one- if you would just take a second to think- just a second-! You'll- understand _why_ I cannot answer your questions." Leo muttered. "The Leo you _knew _and... and..." He couldn't bring himself to say it, couldn't say loved. "Is _gone_. I am not that Leo!"

"Then who are you?" Karai hissed, knowing now, realizing, this Leo- before her... he wasn't the same. He was calmer, more controlled, more careful- more... composed, perhaps. Apart from for the last 30 seconds. He didn't match the Leo she remembered- but then, she knew, memories weren't facts. Memories could not always be relied on.

"I'm Leonardo. But I ain't _your_ Leonardo." Leo replied flatly. "I'm not _his_ Leonardo. I am not _their_ Leonardo. I am _not_ this world- this... horrible- nightmarish excuse for worlds Leonardo."

Raphael sniggered. "Explain, or die." Karai snarled.

"This isn't _my_ world, my home. I don't belong here. There is too much to explain now." Leo muttered, shaking his head. _Well... now I've freaked out and pissed her off I have to find some way to get her to help us._ "But-"

"You need my help." Karai interrupted, voice flat, lifeless.

Leo nodded. "Well, technically, _Raphael_, needs your help. I just need you to... to make sure he stays safe."

"Safe from _whom_, may I ask? Or is _that_ too much to explain?" Karai snapped.

"My brothers." Raphael answered.

Karai looked at him, frowning. "Donnatello and Michaelangelo." Leo said quietly. "I need you to protect him from them."

"I don't-" Raphael began to protest.

"Raphael!" Leo snapped, voice full of tension. "I need to go home and look after my _real_ brothers. I cannot take Raphael with me... But I do not wish to leave him alone- an easy target for Donnatello and Michaelangelo."

Karai lent back on her hips, eyes calculating. Then, her eyes found Leo's. They were no longer angry or violent, or full of betrayal or hate. But full of pain and a longing and an aching, painful consuming _need_.

Karai nodded. "I shall protect him, but know this, _Leonardo_, I do not do this for you, nor for him. I do it for the Leonardo I loved."

"Thank you, Karai." Leo said softly.

"When will you leave?" Karai questioned.

"I..." Leo frowned- that was a point... _One of my brothers has usually woken me by now... How __**do**__ I get back?_ "I don't know."

"Then, join me, and explain how _you_ came to this world." Karai said, voice daring him to argue.

"I don't understand myself, but I will do my best." Leo replied.

"Good." Karai said flatly. "Follow me."

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Leo staggered. "Leo?" Raphael gaped.

"Leonardo?" Karai turned, reaching out to steady him. Her hand passed all the way through. "Leo!" She cried.

"It's... it's OK..." Leo said- fading fast. "Take care of Raphael, please Karai-"

"Leonardo!" Karai cried out again, reaching for him, eyes full of pain.

"I'll come ba-"

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Leo sat up with a jolt, alarm going off loudly. "Damnit!" He slammed a fist down on the alarm clock, head aching from the cry of the alarm. The clock's cry faded out, then died. Leo stood and examined his room.

His eyes found the bookcase and remembered marking a page. _I did it here... Not in that place..._ He walked over to the bookcase, and fingered through the pages, in the rough area of where the mark should be. After a few seconds of searching, he sighed in relief and smiled. He wasn't sure why, but for some reason, finding the mark in that book was _very_ _very_ important.

He shook his head once after replacing the book. _Me... and Karai? I... I know it has been suggested. That there was - something, between us. But __**nothing**__ more than admiration and respect._ He picked up his ninjakens and left his room.

He frowned- puzzled. _Something_ was different. He checked Donnatello's lab, sure enough, Donny was asleep at his computer. Leo smiled weakly, then darted up, checking Michaelangelo's room. He sighed in relief. Mikey was snoring slightly, sprawled out in his bed.

Now, he approached Raph's room, with growing dread. With every step, his heart sank further and further into his stomach. He pushed Raphael's door open slowly, reluctantly. He froze in the doorway.

"Raph?" Leo croaked, the figure in the hammock cursed something, shifting.

"Leo... what the shell are ya doing- what's th' time?" Raph grumbled, eyeing him angrily with one eye- the other was pressed into his pillow.

"I- sorry- Raph. I jus- Raph!" Leo yelled, leaping forwards, drawing his ninjakens as he arched through the air- he flew over Raph, feet connecting with the figure rising behind Raphael.

The figure laughed while another stepped from behind the punching bag. "Not one more move, Fearless." Michaelangelo laughed- a knife, looking horribly out of place in his hand- at Raph's neck.

"Leo? What the-!"

"Shut up!" Michaelangelo snarled.

"Mikey- what the hell are you..." Raph trailed off when Mikey- stumbled into the room, flickering on the light.

"Keep it dowwww-oh." Mikey trailed off, eyes wide. He flicked the light switch back off instantly, plunging the room back into darkness.

Leo smiled, leaping away from- Donnatello, punching Michaelangelo. "Raph- get _up!_" Leo yelled, pulling Raph unceremoniously out of his hammock. "Get _out!_" Leo continued to yell out orders, pushing Raph into Mikey, pushing them both out of the door. Then he slammed it and flicked on the light switch. "What the _hell_ are you doing here?! How- did you get here?!" Leo demanded, locking Raph's door.

Donnatello pulled Michaelangelo to his feet. "Thought we'd pay _you_ a visit, for a change. It's not fair that you're always coming around to ours." Michaelangelo muttered, rubbing his bruising jaw.

"Get out. Leave. _Now_."

"No way, see- you took Raphael from us, so we're taking Raph from _you_." Donnatello snapped.

"I won't let you anywhere near him." Leo said quietly, voice full of determination.

"Then we'll just take someone else." Michaelangelo smirked.

Leo shook his head. "I won't let you."

"Then you'll have to kill us. Ever heard the term an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth? Well, now it's a brother for a brother. Give us Raphael back, and we'll leave you alone." Michaelangelo said flatly.

Leo watched them closely, eyes narrowed. "Leo- you had better open this damn door- _right now!_" Raph bellowed, slamming his fist against the wood.

"Just- wait, Raph!" Leo shouted back.

"Leo!" Donny shouted. "What the shell is-"

Donnatello and Michaelangelo shared a cold smile that sent a shiver of fear down Leo's spine.

"Tell ya what, bro. We _could_ jus' take Leo." Michaelangelo grinned. Donnatello nodded his agreement, considering the idea.

"Well, you know- he _is_ at a disadvantage. We could take him now. He can't move from the door, because if he does, we can get out and take _any_ of his brothers. And all _we_ have to do is get a good grip on him."

Leo's mind searched desperately for a plan- they obviously _wanted_ him to run, talking their plan out, right infront of him. Unless they were bluffing- but... Leo decided not to go down that path, they could be double bluffing- and it just went on and on.

"You couldn't catch me if you _tried_." Leo muttered flatly.

"Say- what now?" Michaelangelo snapped.

Leo shook his head. "That's why you targeted Raph- because you could catch him. You could get a grip on him. If you could have, you would have just taken me. Because, if I know you two, like I _know_ I do, taking Raph from me wouldn't be enough."

"I vote we take him." Michaelangelo growled. Leo laughed, lifted his ninjakens.

"You couldn't. You see, little brothers, you two- and me... well, we're simply not in the same class."

Donnatello snarled some inarticulate cry of anger and threw himself at Leo. Leo blocked easily and threw him back. Michaelangelo steadied him.

"Way to prove my point, Donnatello. You went after Raph because you couldn't get _me_."

"Ohhh, boy, when I get you, I'm gonna make you so sorry!" Michaelangelo snarled.

"Then, come and get me." Leo said softly, dangerously. Michaelangelo smiled and leapt for him.

Leo allowed a small smile, before- vanishing. Michaelangelo hit the wall and cried out in rage. For the last few moments, Leo's body and mouth had been on auto-pilot. His mind had been deep, calm- some kind of weird parody of meditating. Leo had firstly, concentrated on making sure his brothers would be safe, protected. Then- had forced his mind to fix on- _that_ world, where the twisted versions of his younger brothers lived. So that when Michaelangelo had leapt for him- his body had been able to follow where his mind had already gone.

"Damnit Don! He got away!" Michaelangelo whined. Donnatello smiled.

"Don't worry, he's in _our_ world now. We get home field advantage." Donnatello smirked.

"But- his brothers-?"

"We'll take care of Leo first. _Then_ come for his brothers."

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"Leo!" Karai cried.

Leo's head turned to the direction her voice had come from, Raphael and Karai stood in the living room, a score of Foot Ninja's behind them. _I made it..._ He sighed in relief, mind numb with exhaustion. _I... I didn't think it would be so... difficult..._

"Karai?" He asked, voice weak, tired. He swayed- Raphael and Karai ran forwards. "Donnatello and Michaelangelo are- coming..." He staggered- dropped his ninjakens. Fell.

Raphael darted forward, catching Leo as he dived ungracefully to the floor, unconscious. "Get his ninjakens! We have to get out of--"

Michaelangelo and Donnatello suddenly appeared infront of them. "Look what the cat dragged in." Michaelangelo grinned, eyes falling on Leo's unconscious form. He laughed.

"Foot! Attack!" Karai ordered, the Foot Ninja rushing over and past Raphael, Karai and Leo. "Come, Raphael." She turned quickly, holding Leo's ninjaken's just as carefully as Raphael held Leo.

"Thank you, Karai." Raphael said quietly. Leo would have thanked her, he knew. But Leo wasn't able to. So he did it for him.

"Do not misunderstand me, Raphael. I do not do this for you, or _him_. I do it for Leonardo."

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Hope that was OK. I am aware some of 'em might have been OOC, in my defence, they're in a AU, kind of... mwahahha...

anyways, it may be a while until I update next, so I hope ya enjoyed!


	6. If Love Doesn't Cut it

**A/N still don't own the turtles.**

OK, so, if ya can't tell by the title, this chapter is mostly bout what happens between Leo and Karai, or, what DOESN'T happen... lol. it's a short chapter, I kept it as minimal as possible, I hope ya enjoy it anyways.

poof

**Chapter Six - If Love doesn't cut it...**

"How's he doing?" Raphael asked carefully, Karai looked up, eyes looking guiltily. Her hand was resting on Leo's forehead, stroking his face.

"He is merely exhausted." Karai said, her hand moving quickly away from Leo. "It is best to let him rest, while he can."

Raphael sat on the other side of Leo, eyes on Karai, after sweeping over Leo. "Ya really don' know what happened ta... Leonardo?" He asked, meaning _his_ real brother.

Karai looked away. "He came to see me, the night he vanished. He asked me to- to protect you. His brothers, his friends." Karai paused. "He would not tell me why he could not do it himself. I got angry, he got angry. We argued, he started to leave... I pleaded with him not to go." Karai sighed heavily, hand unconsciously moving back to Leo's face. "But he wouldn't stay."

Raphael shifted uncomfortably.

"Nothing I said- could make him change his mind. He would not stay. He said... it was too dangerous. Someone was... after him, I think. To kill him, or worse. And if he was with you, his brothers, or me... it would put us in danger. So he decided to leave. I had my Foot Ninja's put the tower on lock-down." Karai looked guiltily at Raphael. "It was all I could think of to do... I couldn't let him go. I... I loved him... too much, to let him go."

"So you opted to keep him captive, instead?"

"No! It wasn't... wasn't like that! I thought... if I kept him here, with me... I could protect him, instead of him always protecting us.." Karai answered.

Raphael stared at Leo carefully. "And?"

"I was wrong. A man appeared, infront of Leonardo, between us. Leonardo prepared to fight -but... this man- he moved too fast. I- reached for Leonardo... But I was too late... they both vanished."

Raphael frowned, rubbing the back of his neck tiredly. "I... I always thought _you_ killed him."

Karai nodded. "I know." Their eyes met, over Leo's sleeping body. "I am sorry that I let... let the man take Leonardo."

Raphael shrugged weakly. "I've come to terms with it." Karai smiled bitterly.

"I, have not." Karai sighed. "I have kept trying, all this time, to bring him back. To find a way to track him down, to bring him back- alive or dead... to bring him home."

Raphael looked away. "Why did you fight?"

"Leonardo... he knew we could never be anything more than enemies. He knew it would not work."

"What wouldn't? You and him? Why wouldn't it?"

Karai looked away, tears misting in her eyes. "One day, you will learn this, Raphael. Sometimes, love just doesn't cut it."

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Karai turned around, sensing a familiar presence behind her. "Leo!" She gasped. "You should not..." Leo laughed weakly, hand on the door jam for balance. "How are you?"

"I'm OK, now. Thank you, Karai." Leo stepped into the room. Karai's eyes flicked away from him, she could not bare to look at him now. It reminded her too much of what she had let slip through her fingers. "And you? How are you feeling?"

Karai frowned. "I am fine, Leo." Karai sat down, then forced herself to meet Leo's eyes. "Tell me, you seemed to- force yourself, back to this world. Why?"

"Michaelangelo and Donnatello... came to my world. They threatened my brothers. I provoked them, made sure they would chase, and- ran." Leo said flatly. "That's it, really. In a nut-shell."

Karai nodded. "And what would have happened, if Raphael and myself... had not been at the Lair?"

"You know just as well as I do, Karai. Michaelangelo and Donnatello would have, undoubtedly killed me. Then gone after my real brothers." Leo said in the same lifeless tone. "Then, they would have come for you, and Raphael."

"You are younger, than my Leonardo." Karai frowned, _thinner, too, more lithe, smooth, more graceful, stronger. But not better._ "I noticed it, while Raphael carried you here. How old are you?"

"17." Leo frowned- he had not even _thought_, his brothers- here, all looked the same age, of course, they had more battle scars, their eyes colder, harder. Karai laughed.

"Here, they are 19. _You_, Leonardo, would be nearly 20. If... Leonardo... had not..." Karai trailed off.

"Raphael told me what happened to your Leonardo." Leo said gently. What Raphael had told him, had reminded him, horribly, of Satoshi. "There are some things you need to know, Karai. Because, I'm beginning to think, I shall need much more of your help, than merely your protection."

Karai's questioning eyes met his. She smiled. _Oh, how you look like him, how you sound like him. _

"I shall do my best, Leonardo. I have failed... _my_ Leonardo, so I shall not fail you."

Leo sighed. "Karai... if- what happened to Leonardo, is what I'm beginning to suspect it was, you could have done _nothing_ to save him." Leo sat down opposite her. Karai laughed bitterly. "Allow me to explain."

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"And, this Satoshi... can enter one's mind?" Karai asked, frowning. "Twist you? Change you? Make you into something you are not?"

Leo nodded grimly.

"Then, that explains Michaelangelo and Donnatello. Until Leonardo vanished, they where like _your_ brothers, kind, sweet, good, and Raphael was just like your Raphael too. I suspect that once Satoshi was done with Leonardo, he went after Michaelangelo, Donnatello and Raphael. To make sure that should they ever realize what happened, they would be too twisted, cold- evil, to take revenge." Karai said softly. Leo nodded his agreement.

"Now that you mention it, that sounds very likely." Leo sighed.

"So, what does Satoshi want with _you_?" Karai asked, Leo shrugged.

"I don't know. He's always been too busy trying to kill me to explain that." He said bitterly.

"But, you say- you killed Satoshi." Karai continued.

"Sure, his heart stopped beating, I stuck a katana in his chest, but that _does not_ mean he is dead. Infact, I am more likely to believe that he is still alive." Leo sighed.

"What will you do, this time? If Satoshi comes for you, again?" Karai pressed, though not sure she wanted to know the answer.

"Protect my brothers." Leo muttered. "That's _all_ I can do."

Karai's eyes searched his, finding the unspoken words that _really_ answered her question.

"Leo, I promise you this now, I will not allow Satoshi to hurt you, to take you away." Karai said, voice thick with conviction. Leo laughed bitterly. "I will not allow Satoshi to kill you."

Leo looked away. Karai lent forward, placing her hand over his, holding it tightly, not for him- for her. She was selfish. She needed him.

"I never dreamt I would see your face again, Leonardo-" Karai said quietly, then realised she had called him Leonardo, she had not done so, since she realised he was not _her_ Leonardo. Leo's eyes met hers. "I can still remember life- before y- Leonardo... was taken."

"Karai-" Leo began quietly. Karai withdrew her hand from his.

"It is alright, Leo. I want nothing from you. It is enough... just to see you, just to speak to you, just to be near you... Just to know... somewhere... Leonardo is alright." Karai sighed sadly. "I knew nothing could come from Leonardo and myself... and I know, you feel nothing for me. You and I, Leo, are from two different worlds."

Karai stood, and brushed past Leo.

"If you will excuse me, Leo... I wish to be alone." Leo nodded his understanding, then stood and moved to the door. He turned back, still half in the room. Karai was still watching him.

Karai sighed again. "Was there... anything between you- and the Karai in your world?"

"No." Leo said honestly. "I admired her, respected her. As she did me. But- there was never anything more."

"You would do well to watch yourself, Leo. Because that is how Leonardo and I... started. Mutual respect and admiration." Karai turned away. "You would do well to remember that what you don't surrender, the world just... takes away. And sometimes, love just isn't enough."

Leo walked away. He could not do anything to heal her broken heart. He did not love her, he would never love her. He was sorry, but- it was not about him, not here, not now. Her pain was because of... Leonardo.

_Satoshi... this time, you will be sorry._

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Oooh, Satoshi is baaaaccckkk- or is he? duhduhduh!

so, I hope it wasn't too painful or anything, i just had to get this bit out of the way, the next chapter should be up later tonight or tommorrow some time, and I hope it wasn't too hard to understand or anything.

so, please review, and please stick with it.

poof


	7. We Are Leonardo

**A/N **don't own the turtles

So, I hope his chapter isn't too had to understand, I started out with an out-line, and... well, that's kind of gone to hell, I know how it's gonna end, but other than that... well, I'm just winging it. hahaha... this chapter, if it doesn't make sense now, oughta make sense later!

**Chapter Seven - We Are Leonardo**

_Leo turned, feeling slow, useless. He looks around the dark room, knowing he's looking for something, reaching out for something- but he doesn't know what he's searching for._

_The darkness is so thick, so complete, he feels like he's floating. Maybe he is... he can't feel the feet underneath his feet, but he can feel the darkness pressing in on his arms and chest and back and legs- and he realizes- he can't breathe. It's all- too close, too tight- too dark._

_Too dark._

_He feels something else pressing in on him, a new, worried, panicked but calm presence. Familiarity floods his systems. He __**knows**__ this presence. Something in the calm but worried emotions reflects back at him._

_**"Don't look."**_

_Leo looks. But he can't see anything. The voice- it sound so familiar, yet- different still. A voice he hears everyday, but filled with an unknown pain, an unbearable sorrow etched into the voice._

_The voice laughs. "__**There is no point in looking, Leo. You won't see me."**_

_"Why?" Leo croaks, his voice, sounds hollow, weightless. Far away. "Who are you?"_

_"__**I am Leonardo."**_

_Leo recoils. _I'm Leonardo..._ He thinks weakly. The voice- Leonardo- seems to hear his thoughts and laughs._

_"__**We are one, but not the same. Leo. I am sorry..."**_

_"What for?"_

_"__**I failed...**__"_

_"Failed who?" Leo questions._

_"__**My brothers... Karai... Everyone. This world. You."**_

_"Why?" Leo asks, though, he isn't sure he wants to know._

_"__**I... I let darkness deep inside. I let Satoshi win... I left it down to you..."**_

_"Satoshi?"_

_Leonardo laughs, the darkness lifts, Leo takes a step back- infront of him, stands a mirror. But the reflection in the mirror- _isn't_- him. _Well...I suppose it _is_ me... really... _Leo thinks weakly, reaching s hand out, to touch the cool glass. The figure- his reflection smiles sadly, pressing his hand into the glass, but it is his prison- and he cannot escape it._

_"__**You are strong- were I was weak. Satoshi is a poison, more venom than human. More hatred than creature. More death than flesh and blood."**_

_"I killed him." Leo said calmly- ignoring the doubt in his words, ignoring the bubbling fear inside him that -maybe, somehow, Satoshi __**wasn't**__ dead._

_"__**You are correct. But also, terribly, terribly wrong. Just as- just as there are versions of Karai, of Raphael, of Michaelangelo, of Donnatello- of you and me. There are... **_versions _**of Satoshi. You... have merely killed one of them." **__Leonardo said quietly._

_Leo looked away from the mirror, thinking of the last time he saw Satoshi- when he killed him. How Satoshi had merely laughed. _I knew something wasn't right..._ Leo sighed. "So... what? I'll just kill the next version."_

_Leonardo laughed weakly. __**"The Satoshi... from my world, is older, wiser- stronger, than the Satoshi you faced. Just as I am older than you."**_

_Leo looked around the dark room nervously. _Stronger? How can I beat him... if he's stronger and better? The **first** Satoshi... was difficult enough... _"Why?"_

_"__**Why what?"**_

_"Why... why is he after me... us? What does he was from... us?" Leo demanded._

_**"I do not know. I am sorry... What I do know... is that Satoshi has been going through the worlds... wiping us out, one by one."**__ Leonardo replied._

_"Oh. Well- that's comforting." Leo muttered. _

_Leonardo stepped away from the glass. "__**Thank you, for protecting my brothers. But you cannot save them. You must return to your world, and stay with your own brothers."**_

_Leo's eyes snapped up. "Why? Are they in danger?"_

_"__**No. Satoshi is here, in this world, looking for **_you_**."**_

_"Then, I won't leave. If my brothers are safe, and Satoshi is looking for __**me**__, going home will only lead him to __**my**__ brothers." Leo said quietly, full of determination. "I just... I wish I knew what Satoshi wanted with... us..."_

_Leonardo met his eyes, full of pain and mourning, and a great, great longing. "__**It does not matter what he wants with us, anymore. It is just you, now."**_

_"What?- what does that mean?" Leo asked, taking another step back from the mirror._

_Leonardo laughed sadly. "__**You... child, are the... you are the last remaining Leonardo. All of us have fallen... fallen to Satoshi.**__"_

_"No- no way!" Leo gaped. "I wouldn't- no way. __**I **__wouldn't fall to him- __**we**__ wouldn't- if we are truly one the same, __**we**__ would not have let him win." Leo said, totally confident that- they, versions of himself, would not have allowed Satoshi to defeat them- and yet... _

_Behind Leonardo, many figures appeared, all wearing blue bandana's, with twin ninjaken's strapped to their backs, with various differences. One, had a mechanical arm, another had a mechanical leg, another had one eye, another was blind, another's face was half a mask, and a few were merely children, some were terribly old. "...what?" Leo gasped, stepping back to the mirror. "Are they..."_

_**"Correct. We are all you. We are all **_Leonardo._**"**__ Leonardo said softly, as gently as possible, he gestured to the blue-clad turtles behind him. "__**We have **_all _**fallen to Satoshi. You are all that remain. It is down to you."**_

_"What- that's not fair!" Leo yelled. "__**How**__ many Satoshi's are there? One for every Leonardo- right? Do you have any idea how many Satoshi's I would have to defeat- _**alone?!**_" Leo exploded angrily._

_Leonardo smiled sadly. "__**Only one.**__" Leo frowned. "__** Satoshi made many copies of himself, one for every world, one to kill every Leonardo. Many of the Satoshi's were killed, also. Now, though, that only **_you_** remain, Satoshi has drawn all his copies into himself. So you must only defeat one."**_

_Leo watched his- copy, the version, of himself, wearily. "I'm not strong enough."_

_Leonardo didn't say another word, instead, his stepped back, another- Leonardo- stepped forward. This one, had a mechanical arm, and both his legs were mechanical, his left leg only mechanical to the knee, his right, mechanical until mid-thigh. Half his face was also covered in metal. Leo watched him carefully, catching the way his limbs moved, smoothly, as if they were just his flesh and blood._

_"__**You must be." **__The mechanical Leonardo said flatly, voice deep, rough. He looked- old, tired, weak. But he was probably only mid to late 20s. Looking into eyes of the Leonardo that stood before him, Leo finally realised , finally put a name to the look in their eyes, on their faces. _**Defeated.**They all look defeated.

_Leo shook his head. "No way. I'm not- Satoshi nearly killed me- in my world! How can I hope to defeat a bigger, badder, beefed up version of Satoshi, alone?" Leo yelled, realizing he sounded just like Mikey, when he was hysterical. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself- but what they asked... was impossible._

_"__**You won't **_be _**alone." **__Now, a child-Leonardo stepped forward. He looked about 10. Leo watched his carefully. "__**You have your brothers."**_

_Leo laughed bitterly. "I will not endanger them this way. Not for me." He said honestly._

_The first Leonardo stepped back to the glass, eyes meeting his. "__**Every day there is a war to fight, whether you win or loose... you have to fight anyway."**_

_"__**You are the one who gives us reason to believe, to hold on, to keep strong. To have faith. You, one, are all that remains."**_

_Leo stared hard at them all. _We are one, but we are not the same. _Leonardo's words rang in his mind. _With that, you are correct. _I_ will not allow Satoshi to triumph. _Leo thought- determination lighting up in his eyes. Anger sparked inside him, looking at the versions of himself. _

_"How could you- how could you allow Satoshi to win?! You left- you left your brothers- your family- to face him alone! You're... you're- you're __**not me**__!" Leo snarled. "I will not break, I __**will not**__ let Satoshi win."_

_Leonardo smiled, letting out a low, almost contented breath. "__**It is down to you, Leo." **_

_"Show me."_

_"__**What?"**_

_"Show me what he has done to you." Leo demanded._

_"__**Why?"**_

_"So I know what I have to do to __**him**__."_

_"__**He has done to us... what he did to you. Our fates, our deaths, are all linked, all identical in the way he broke us, the way he destroyed us. Only one thing differs."**_

_Leo stared hard at him._

_"__**The End."**_

_**"**__End?"_

_"__**Yes. The End. We all Fell. We all... allowed him inside, let the darkness grow, allowed ourselves to break, to fall. **_You, did not._** That is all that differs. We fell to the pain, the horror, the rage. You, Leo, rose above it."**_

_Leo shifted uncomfortably. _How... how can that be right? If we are the same.. faced the same... why did we not fall the same? _He frowned, anger boiling inside of him. _How could _they_- fall?

_"Go away." Leo said quietly._

_**"What?"**_

_"Leave me alone. I don't know what you are expecting of me. But you need only know, I have _**no intention**_ of walking down the path you did. I'm tired and I'm scared and alone- but I'm prepared now. You... you and I... we may go by the same name, look the same, think and feel and bleed the same, but we could not be more different." Leo said flatly. "I will not bring my brothers into this, I will not put them in danger. I will stand alone, I'll face this day alone, I'll face this fight alone." _

_Leonardo smiled. __**"Then, you had better be damned sure you can take it."**_

_Leo's eyes snapped up, meeting the older version of himself. He had initially thought Leonardo was stronger, better, braver. But now, he realised, Leonardo- all of them... they were weaker. _

_"It does not matter if I can take it or not. I will not allow Satoshi to win. I have come too far to loose it all now. If dead ends come, I will find another way around."_

_Leonardo laughed. "__**You are strong, child. I was once, just like you, strong- and brave-**__"_

_"You have no idea what real strength is." Leo said mutely. Leonardo sighed, eyes sad._

_"__**I used to know."**__ He looked away for a moment. "__**We all... we all used to know.**__"_

_Leo stared at them all, crowded around the mirror, just on the other side of the glass, but they could not be further away._

_"There is no dignity in death." Leo turned away. _I will not fail- not like they did. I refuse. _He wondered for a moment, why he was so angry, but another look at them, and he knew why._

_"__**It will be a long, hard road, Leo. But I believe, that you will do it. Whether you can or cannot... does not seem to matter." **__Leonardo said, a smile in his voice. _

I don't want to be alone... but I don't know you... _He said silently to the versions of himself behind the glass._

_"__**Remember, Leo, angels fall first." **__Leonardo said sadly. "__**As long as you keep fighting, your brothers will be safe."**__ Leo frowned, looking at them all. __**"Do not fight for us, fight for them, your brothers. Fight for your loved ones."**_

_Leo nodded numbly. "I won't fight for you. You do not have to worry about that. But, I promise you, I will fight for my brothers- and, for all that you have lost."_

_Leonardo smiled, and nodded. __**"Thank you.**__" Leonardo pressed a hand into the glass. Leo looked away bitterly. "__**Good luck, child."**_

_"I'll tell... her... That you are sorry." Leo said gently. Leonardo looked away, tears in his eyes._

_"__**There was too much between us... for a word to fix. But... thank you." **__Leonardo turned away._

_Leo watched his retreating back. "Then I'll tell her that you love her."_

_Leonardo halted, looked over his shoulder, he smiled a small, hurt smile, then nodded. "__**Hopefully, we shall never meet again, Leo."**_

_The room around Leo began to vanish. Leo felt bizarrely, like he was falling, like he had been falling a long, long time._

"We are Leonardo. But you... you are something completely different. _Earth will deliver what heaven desires._"

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I hope ya enjoyed, and I hope ya managed to make sense of it, if ya don't, lemme no, and I'll do my best to explain! lol.

thanks for the reviews, you guys are great, freakin' awesome. so, hope ya enjoyed, hope ya 're likin' the story so far, and I hope ya keep reading (reviews would be appreciated, lol)


	8. Another Game

**A/N** don't own the turtles...

OK, so, this's where we find out WHY Satoshi is after Leo... ehehehe... I must admit, I'm not exactly sure if I like the reason, but hope ya guys dont mind it! so, please read& review- and enjoy!

**Chapter Eight - Another Game**

"Leo." Karai said quietly. Leo jerked, spinning quickly, hands going to his ninjakens. His eyes widened for a second, emotion flashing through his eyes.

"Karai." He said instantly. "Karai-" He began.

"There is no time, Leo. Satoshi comes." Karai said abruptly. Leo looked away, then nodded. He strapped his ninjaken's onto his back. Karai smiled softly. "What do you want me to do?"

Leo thought for a moment. "He comes for me." He said flatly. "I want- you stay here, protect Raphael."

"What about you?" Karai demanded, Leo stood and walked past her- she followed after him quickly. "Leo- what about you?"

Leo smiled a small, sad but- determined smile. "I'm going to finish this."

"Let me help you." Karai said.

"No. Karai, I need you to look after Raphael." He paused. Feeling strange giving _her_ orders. "Leave your main force here. I need you, and just a handful of your best Foot Ninja."

"Of course." Karai said quickly.

"Listen to me, Karai. I need you and your Ninja's to take Donnatello and Michaelangelo, and- lock them up, until either I return, Satoshi returns, or we both die." Leo said flatly.

"But-"

"Michaelangelo and Donnatello will- return to normal, once Satoshi's- mind games are lifted. I am trusting you to come with me, to take Michaelangelo and Donnatello and keep them safe. I am also asking you to make sure Raphael does not try to come after me." Leo sighed. "Even if he... must be restrained. It is too dangerous."

"I understand." Karai nodded, speaking quickly with a Foot Ninja, who immediately ran off down the hall- then Karai rushed after Leo.

"And, Karai, I am also asking you to leave, with Michaelangelo and Donnatello. And to stay away." Leo said gently. Karai looked away, gritting her teeth. "Trust me. It began between myself and Satoshi, and that is the way it must end."

Karai took a deep breath, then bowed her head. "I understand. I will do as you ask."

"Good." Leo smiled, and slowed his pace- she continued on quickly down the hall, to prepare. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her back a step. "And, Karai?"

She looked at his hand holding her wrist, then looked back up, swallowing.

"Leonardo sends his love."

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Leo watched the rooftops wearily. Karai just a few steps behind him, 8 Foot Ninja spread out behind her. A slight, warm breeze shifted through the thick air. Leo took a deep breath, the air was just like- home.

_Will... will I ever get home? Raph... Don... Mike... I'll make it back. I promise. I'll make it back to you- someday._ Leo sent out his silent promise to his real brothers.

He looked over his left shoulder, at Karai. "They come."

Karai nodded, and signaled to her ninja. They collectively vanished into the shadows. "You reminded me of him, at first." She said softly, Leo frowned and turned to her, keeping half his attention on the approaching threat. "You would both... you were both strong, both brave... so careful and so loving and so... pure. So innocent, naive. You both believed... that you could save everyone. The kind of man who would gamble his life on luck, if his loved one's were in danger... The kind of man who would look you in the eye, face every threat, danger- and never, ever back up. But now... I understand the difference. I see the difference between you both."

Leo opened his mouth to speak, but found no words.

"You and Leonardo... are so similar. But there is one flaw... one difference between you. One thing that had him killed, one thing that had you saved."

"What?" Leo asked quietly. Karai smiled, almost reached for him.

"Leonardo was brought down to his knees by love." Karai answered, Leo frowned. "I saw that man fall to his knees from love. I saw that man cry because of love. Love for me, for his brothers. There is nothing stronger than love. But you do not let it force you to your knees." Karai paused. "That is the difference. Love made him weak, love makes you strong."

Leo frowned- confused. She was making little sense to him- and why tell him this now? While there was no time to talk... _Maybe that's why. She __**doesn't**__ want to talk. She just wants me to know._

"Good luck, Leo." Karai said softly, before following her ninja, and vanishing into the darkness.

Leo watched her go, then turned to the approaching threat- Michaelangelo and Donnatello. He had known Satoshi would send them first. To weaken him, to wear him down. Then, Satoshi himself would appear, to strike the killing blow. _But I'm not going to play your game, Satoshi._

Karai and her ninja hurried forward, to intercept Michaelangelo and Donnatello, guns loaded with darts. Leo rested back a little, waiting. _Now, it is just a waiting game._

"For them." Leo sighed. "For me." He spoke aloud again.

_Come then, Satoshi. How long will it take for you to realise your plan has fallen through?_ Not long. Leo decided.

"I played your game last time, Satoshi. And won. This time, we play _my_ game." Leo studied the shadows, listening for the sound of a fight, for the feel of Satoshi's approach. He heard a cry of anger come from Michaelangelo or Donnatello, he was too far away to know, and he allowed a small smile to spread over his face.

His shell-cell went quietly. He hooked the phone out. "Yes?"

"It is done. You are on your own now, Leo." Karai's voice said flatly, before hanging up.

_I am not alone, Karai. I never was._ Leo concentrated on any sign of Satoshi. He looked around the shadows, putting the phone away.

"Your move, Satoshi."

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"Leonardo."

Leo smiled and turned, drawing his ninjaken's easily. "Satoshi."

"You are a fool. I almost expected you to run... They all ran. But you. You are the only one that did not run." Satoshi said flatly, approaching him slowly, Leo stepped back, keeping the distance between them to a few meters, he wanted as much warning for an attack as possible. They began to circle- the rooftop only allowed a certain amount of movement either way.

"Why would I run from you?" Leo retorted. "Damn, if I'd known you'd be back to bother me, I would have tracked you down and saved you the trouble."

Satoshi laughed. "You do not disappoint, do you, Leonardo? I half expected you to crumble, to accept you could not defeat me, to lay down and die... But I believed you would fight me." Satoshi smiled coldly. "I am glad. It is so much more fun when they fight. So much more satisfactory to completely destroy them. It makes the fight much more enjoyable when they still believe that they can win, that they can defeat me."

"Do not misunderstand me, Satoshi. I have no misconceptions. I _know_ I cannot defeat you. I know I cannot win."

"Then why fight?"

"Why go through all this effort to kill me?" Leo shot back. Satoshi laughed again.

"I see you have been doing your homework, Leonardo. Why? You ask. And what would you do, for an answer to that question? Does it eat away at you? I know everything about you, Leonardo. And you know nothing of me." Satoshi stopped circling. Leo stopped moving also. They stared at eachother, a few meters between them, neither willing to cross that invisible line just yet.

"That isn't an answer." Leo said flatly.

"Fine, you really wish to know?" Satoshi demanded angrily. Leo's eyes searched Satoshi. _He is... different. Bigger, than I remember him, looks stronger, but that doesn't mean he is... _Satoshi's eyes where different, too, full of a raging, high power that had not been there before. "I... I loathe you, Leonardo. I loathe what you stand for, who you are, who you stand for- what you are."

"Why?" Leo asked, eyes narrowing, raising his ninjaken's. _This is it- _his body was screaming at him, full of adrenaline, full of power and energy just waiting to be released.

"Because, Leonardo. _I am you."_ Satoshi snarled, leaping for him- drawing a katana- like he always did, seemingly from the air, but he drew another from a sheath at his back, the hilt had been hidden by his neck and head. Leo noticed, for the first time, his katana hilts where wrapped in blue cloth.

"What-?" Leo yelled, leaping back from the attack, blocking and dancing away. _**I am you**_.

Satoshi laughed, many expressions crossing his face, many looks gleaming from his eyes.

"We are Leonardo."

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"Is it getting better, Raph?" Donny asked. Raph shook his head.

"Nope. I still feel sick." Raph said weakly. "Nervous. Full of energy. Like I'm about to fight."

"Me too." Mikey piped up quietly. Donny looked away, he had not- wanted to admit it, but he was feeling the same. _We already know we are... connected... to Leo. Perhaps..._

"What is it, Don?" Raph demanded.

"What if... you guys remember... when Leo fought Satoshi? Raph felt his pain, we... we all _felt_ Leo. Like he was... right beside us. Maybe... maybe this is... the connection, between us all again." Donny said finally. He sighed.

"So, what does that mean?" Mikey questioned.

"I don't know, Mike. I don-" Donny gasped.

The world was snatched from beneath their feet- darkness swirling all around them, Mikey reached for Donny and Raph, Raph put out a hand to steady himself- Donny froze, closing his eyes.

When Donny opened his eyes once more, he stared at his two brothers in disbelief.

"Satoshi..." Mikey said weakly.

"How... how can... Leo killed him!" Raph yelled. Donny shook his head, then swayed, feeling sick- dizzy.

_**"We are Leonardo."**_

The three brothers shared a look- "Did'ya hear that?" Raph demanded. Donny and Mikey nodded grimly. "C'mon!"

"What- where are we going?" Mikey demanded.

"Where'd'ya think?! Ta find Leo!"

"Raph- he isn't... in this world... we... you know that." Donny said gently, the information for himself, had been a hard, bitter pill to swallow, that somehow- Leo had _left_ them. And with no explanation.

"Well- then, we'll use th' connection, alright with ya?! We'll get ta him tha' way!" Raph bellowed.

Mikey and Donny shared a stunned look. Raph turned to his younger siblings, sais in hand.

"Leo left us, but I'll bet he left us for a damned good reason." Raph snapped. "You know that, I know that."

Mikey nodded weakly. "So? Why are we going?"

"He's facing Satoshi." Raph grinned dangerously. "He might need our help."

"You...you _what_?" Leo gasped, faltering. He dodged back, leaping from the first rooftop, onto another, giving himself a moment to recover before Satoshi closed the distance and landed infront of him.

Satoshi allowed a malicious grin spread across his face. "Why is it so hard to believe? You already _know_ there are other versions of yourself. I used to be you."

"So... what- what happened to you?"

"The thing you fear every single day. I failed my brothers, my family. Master Splinter died because I failed to protect my brothers. Soon after, April... April was killed too. Then Casey..." Satoshi forced the words out, tone violent and angry- and hurt. "Until it was just me, and my brothers. I failed them- again... but this time, there was no Master Splinter there to make up for my screw-up. They died. And I lived."

Leo frowned, biting his lip, waiting for another attack, but Satoshi was not finished yet.

"I was taken captive. Experimented on. But I did not care, all I loved was gone- dead- because of me. I became twisted, evil. Then, they did something to me they could not reverse. They made me human." Satoshi spat. "They thought they had killed me, but by some cruel fate, I did not die. I lived. I moved on, becoming more twisted, more dark- more powerful as the years went on." Satoshi paused, eyes on Leo.

"But... that does not... why would you... devote your life to killing... all the other versions?"

"I am mortal, Leonardo. I am also a man. I am prone to jealousy. I could not die. I decided then, if I could not be happy, could not be with my brothers, in life, or in death, I would make sure no other Leonardo would be able to." Satoshi snarled. "Why should _you_- be happy?! While I- while I am so destroyed? Why should you be so perfect, so comfortable- while I am so pained... so hurt. So broken. It was not fair, so I decided I would make it fair."

Leo swallowed hard. He did not feel pity for this- creature, standing before him. He might have done, once. If Satoshi hadn't caused so much pain, hadn't killed so many.

"Pain was all you felt, so you decided you would make sure that was all everyone else felt too, huh?" Leo sighed.

Satoshi's eyes narrowed. "And what would _you_ know of it?!"

"Nothing. I suppose." Leo said gently. "I can't understand what you must have gone through. But that- _is no excuse for what you have done._" Leo spat the last words, while leaping for Satoshi.

_He moves too fast. I can barely keep up. Each attack I block... is like running into a brick wall. I cannot win this._ Leo thought calmly, as he blocked Satoshi's attacks, he flew backwards- landed smoothly, and came straight back up, shooting for Satoshi once again.

Rage sparked in Satoshi's eyes, and he landed a particularly hard attack, which was blocked- but Leo's left had was completely numbed, his arm throbbed- he dropped his left ninjaken. Leo leapt backwards, gasping for breath.

"Your logic is screwed, Satoshi. If you loathe who I am- you must also loathe who you used to be, who you are. That anger- that hate, is killing you. It just hurts you more. Revenge... it just- it doesn't take away the pain, doesn't make the pain stop-" Leo said flatly.

"What would you know of it?!" Satoshi exploded, leaping for him. Leo slipped under him, leaping to his feet smoothly, raising his remaining ninjaken, while scooping his fallen one with his left hand- feeling was slowly returning.

"Not enough. But- what will you do, once you kill me? I am the last. Once you kill me, it will be over. Your revenge will be done, but your hate and pain and anger will still remain." Leo replied honestly.

Satoshi glared at him, eyes burning through him. "You are a fool, Leonardo. They were _all_ fools. At first, I fought to kill. After a while... I kept searching out... the versions of myself... in hopes that I could end it."

Leo recoiled. "End it? End what? Them- the cycle of vengeance- or _you_?" Satoshi laughed, Leo's eyes narrowed, Satoshi leapt for him. "I can't end it. Not the way you want me to. I'm not..." Leo took a deep breath.

_Just like Karai... I have to..._ He dropped his ninjakens, lowering his arms in a gesture of surrender, he did not like it, liked it even less because he had to do it to Satoshi, but he had to find some way to get through to him. Satoshi faltered.

"No!" Satoshi pulled back, his katana merely grazing the top of Leo's shoulder. Leo gasped, right hand holding the wound, blood seeping through his fingers, it was a deep cut, but not fatal, he would not bleed out, he would not die from the wound, infact, it would barely hinder his attacks. Satoshi leapt back. "What- what are you _doing_?! It is not- not supposed to be this way!"

Leo laughed weakly.

"They told me- that you could defeat me- you could kill me! Why- why throw it all away- why do it?!"

"You think you are so twisted, so hateful." Leo sighed. "I hate you. But only because of what you have done. There is still good inside of you. Still a little bit of light, inside all of that darkness. Or, whether you wish to... to die- or not... you would have not stayed your hand. You would have killed me, when you had the chance." Leo picked up his ninjakens, rolling his left shoulder, experimenting. Yes, he could still fight, could ignore the pain, the blood. He would have time to feel it later.

Because, he decided, there _would_ be a later, no matter what.

"What...?" Satoshi gasped.

"My game, my rules, Satoshi. I played your game, now you're playing mine." Leo muttered, straightened his stance. "I wanted to prove to you, no matter how dark, how cold it gets, there is always a light. No matter how twisted, how evil- there is always hope."

"Then- what now?"

"The end of these games. The end of this vicious cycle. The end of your vengeance. Now, you get your wish." Leo said flatly, raising his ninjakens. "Now, I kill you."

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hope ya enjoyed! woot. I hope it's OK, and the reason isn't too... I dunno. I'm still not sure I like it, But I've just got one more chapter to write, and it's done, so, I've not bothered to change it.

hope it was OK anyways.


	9. The Strength To Fight

**A/N** don't own the turtles.

haven't got much to say, I'm in a rush and stuff, so I hope ya enjoy, hope ya liked it so far- hope the last chapter wasn't too bad- and, there's onyl two chapters left. One, that I'm gonna upload in a few seconds, and one to write. hope ya liked it and please review!

**Chapter Nine - The Strength to Fight**

The rooftops vanished from Leo's eyes, the ground fell away from his feet, the light faded into darkness, Satoshi vanished. A startled cry escaped Leo as he began to fall backwards.

_Should have seen this coming..._ Leo thought dryly, breathing calmly- falling through a black void. He felt light-headed, his limbs heavy, tired. A pounding in his head started, he could feel his pulse, his heart-beat, the blood hammering through his veins. His body throbbed- stars shone, pin-pricks of light in the vast, over-whelming darkness.

_Always a light._ His words from before rang in his head. For a second, he thought he might be sick as a strong wave of vertigo hit him. _I'm falling headfirst-_ he realised, and flipped around, he didn't want to hit the ground, head first- that was- _if I __**ever**__ hit the ground._ He felt cut-loose, like he was drifting, alone, cold- in the dark.

His ninjaken's flashed in the light, the stars sparking brightly before they faded out. Dark tendrils snaked out of the void, crawling, fixing around his arms, his legs- his chest. He couldn't breathe.

_What is this?... Darkness. Holding me..._ His grip tightened on his ninjaken's. He pulled on his arms, fighting the hold of the darkness. _I can't- get free-_

"No!" Leo yelled, voice echoing into the darkness, swallowed by the void. His feet touched dust- earth, dirt. The darkness faded away. _Where... where is the light- coming from?_ He looked around, before realizing, with a horrible sinking feeling- the light was coming - from _him_.

Satoshi stepped out of the darkness, the shadows parting like sliding doors. "Welcome, to my home, Leonardo." Leo shook off the remaining tendrils of darkness, slicing through them, before turning to Satoshi.

"What? You- you can't live here." Leo said weakly. The world was cold, dark- horrible. Empty, barren.

"Whether I can, or cannot. This is my home world. It used to be just like your world. Light, and warmth and love and life. Tell me, Leonardo- is there any light, here? No matter how cold, how dark, you told me, there was always a light." Satoshi said flatly, voice empty, hollow. It carried no weight, did not echo into the darkness, not like Leo's did. "Where is the light? The life? The warmth?"

Leo looked around carefully. Satoshi was right- there was no light, no warmth, no life. Nothing but darkness and cold and fear. Leo's eyes came slowly back to Satoshi, and he smiled.

"There." He pointed to Satoshi, who frowned, then looked down. As Leo was glowing with a bright light, casting warmth and light into the cold, barren landscape, a small, candle-light flicker of the same light was burning deep inside Satoshi's chest and eyes.

"It is not enough. Memories... are not enough." Satoshi said quietly. "Memories are cruel. They merely remind you of what you have lost."

"Why did you bring me here?" Leo asked carefully, feeling the chill, the fear, the doubt and the pain sink into his chest.

"Why do you think?" Satoshi demanded. "Leonardo, you are so cruel. Your life, your light- destroyed me. If you had all just- just died- then... then my pain would lessen."

"No- it wouldn't Satoshi! Death doesn't change a thing! You killed them- but they still have what you don't! Death is not enough to take away your pain." Leo yelled. "You're just- _god_! Why don't you understand?!"

Satoshi laughed. "What is there to understand? I kill, therefore, I am." Satoshi spat.

"Is it getting better? The pain? Is it easier to bear- or do you feel the same?" Leo demanded, ignoring the twist of despair in his chest. "Having someone to blame- it doesn't make it better!"

Satoshi leapt for Leo. "You are going to loose it all, Leonardo. Just like them."

Leo threw him back angrily, his body almost crackling with energy. Leo shook his head, too angry to speak.

"I don't think I will kill you, you are- special. Different, one, but not the same. I'll just- leave you here, I think. You can live this life in my stead." Satoshi smirked. Leo lunged at Satoshi, blades flashing in the darkness- sparks leaping from their swords as they clashed together.

_I can't get through to him..._ Leo sighed. _Fine. I'll do it the hard way._ He twisted his ninjaken- sweeping Satoshi's right katana from his grip. The katana blade flashed, reflecting the light coming from Leo, before sticking, blade first, into the ground.

"I think that you may have to take another taste of pain, of despair. And, maybe just a little bit of hell this time." Satoshi snarled, pushing Leo's blades back. "You are not strong enough. You are not fast enough. You cannot defeat me this time."

Leo flipped backwards, away from Satoshi, he landed easily, stirring up a cloud of dust behind his feet. _I have to get out of here._ Leo realised. _This world... it's despair- it's hate... it's pain- I can taste it in my mouth, like blood, I can feel it on my skin like knives. I have to get away. _

"I see you have finally realised, Leonardo- just how much danger you are in."

Satoshi lurched forwards, his katana slamming down, into Leo's crossed blades. Leo flinched as the metal screamed. He quickly switched his grip on his ninjaken's, move his arms up, so that they crossed above Satoshi's katana, instead of below. He slammed his blades, and Satoshi's, down, stabbing them all into the ground. Then he flipped over them, over Satoshi's head, turning in the air. His feet connected with Satoshi's back, and he lurched forward, tripping over his blades.

Leo landed, ran forward- grabbed his ninjakens, then pressed them into the dirt, blades crossing above Satoshi's neck.

Satoshi stared up at him angrily, breathing fast. Leo frowned- right hand releasing his ninjaken, and going up to his left shoulder. Satoshi laughed, and Leo staggered back, keeping his left ninjaken in his left hand as he staggered.

Leo's breath came quickly as he struggled to breath- his chest had locked up, only allowing for small, shallow breaths. A burning sensation slowly spread from his left shoulder, down to his left arm, and all across his chest.

"The darkness eats away at you, once it gets inside. The despair- sooner or later, it becomes who you are. The fear turns your blood to ice. The hatred completely consumes you, until you have nothing left." Satoshi had matter of factly as he approached Leo carefully.

Leo dropped to one knee. A cry of pain escaped him as the darkness began to spread from the wound in his left shoulder, down his left arm- and across his chest, following the same path of the burning sensation.

"You are... in a sense- dying." Satoshi continued, voice now sounding extremely pleased. "If _you_ cannot win, how could you even dare ask me- to defeat it?"

Leo doubled over, pressing his right hand into his left shoulder. _I want to die-_ everything came back to him with frightening clarity after that thought. _No. That is not me. I do not want to die-_ _**I won't be defeated**_.

"I made... too many promises... to fall here." Leo hissed, feeling something sticky and coppery and hot spill into his mouth. He spat- black blood hit the dust. Leo put a hand to his mouth- then recoiled. He held his hand out, infront of his eyes- the skin was turning black- the light was slowly, bit by painful, aching bit being extinguished.

Satoshi laughed. "They will all understand, Leonardo. After all, everyone who has fought me... has perished." Satoshi placed a hand on Leo's left shoulder, fingers digging into his flesh. Leo grimaced, but grabbed Satoshi's wrist, twisting it and pulling his hand from his shoulder. "They will all understand, you don't have to worry. Just- give up. Let go, let the darkness win. It is- so much easier if you don't fight it. It is not hard to fall, not for us, Leonardo. Not for who we are. I understand you don't want to loose, but you can't win, not here, not now. Not anymore."

"If I could take the pain away from you, I would. But I can't. And, for that, I'm sorry." Leo muttered. _Something... has been taken from deep inside of me. I have to get it back._

Satoshi scowled at Leo. _That fool... even now- with darkness deep inside of him... _Satoshi's fists clenched angrily. Leo's eyes had never looked through him, they had looked inside of him, seeing- _some good, some light, some hope- deep inside. _"Fool." Satoshi spat angrily, full of rage.

Leo laughed.

"Why are you laughing?" Satoshi demanded violently, punching Leo. Leo fell back, head spinning from the blow. He remained stretched out on the ground.

_I don't know what else to do..._ Leo sighed, closing his eyes against the darkness- the hatred, the despair, Satoshi's home. Faces, words, people, loved ones- they all circled around in his mind. He sent out a silent apology to them. _I've lost the strength to fight._

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	10. Dignity In Death

**A/N** don't own the turtles.

waaaaahhh! I'm running outta time... hope ya enjoy!

**Chapter Ten- Dignity In Death**

_Leo stood infront of the mirror- but the mirror was empty. _

_"COME BACK!" Leo screamed, pressing his hands into the glass. _I need their light. My light- I need-

_"__**Leo?**__" Leonardo asked carefully, appearing in the mirror. "__**Oh... no...**__"_

_"You let me down- let every one down. But you cannot let me down tonight. This fight is not over- I have not lost! I refuse to loose- to die. To let Satoshi win."_ _Leo said quickly, pressing his hands against the glass, trying to break through. "But- I... you-" Leo took a deep, calming breath, he stepped away from the glass._

_Many blue-clad figures appeared behind Leonardo. Leo nodded, smiling._

_"Good."_

_"__**What has happened?**__" Leonardo asked gently._

_"It doesn't matter. There is no time." Leo said flatly, raising his remaining ninjaken._

_"__**What are you doing?!**__" Leonardo cried, stepping away from the mirror, raising his hands to protect his face._

_Leo smiled and his ninjaken cut through the mirror- the glass smashed- shards flying everywhere, out into the darkness of the room. Leo flinched back, shards of the glass cutting into him. Leo cried out, a large shard catching his left shoulder. He staggered back- nearly fell._

_Strong arms caught him._

_Leo looked up. "Leonardo." He gasped._

_Leonardo smiled, free of the mirror. He helped Leo straighten. "__**You have need of us."**_

_Leo nodded grimly, standing alone now, infront of the blue-clad figures. "I understand now. I thought I could do this alone. But I can't. It would not be right. You- you all..."_

_Leonardo nodded._

_Leo smiled. "_If ya want to be a hero, well- follow me."

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Satoshi recoiled from Leo's fallen body- light erupted from Leo, spilling out, into the darkness.

"What?!" Satoshi cried in alarm, raising his katana's. "You- this is all _you_!" He approached Leo once again, shielding his eyes from the light. "If I kill you- it will all end!"

Leo grimaced, waking. His eyes opened slowly. Eyes focusing weakly on Satoshi. He struggled to breathe. The darkness leaked from his body- fading against the growing light.

"What have you done?!" Satoshi screamed, raising his katana. Leo groaned and tried to move, but his limbs would not obey him.

"I'm taking back what's mine." Leo sighed, a stream of light leaping from him to Satoshi. "And giving back what's yours."

Satoshi screamed and staggered back, the light flooding through his body, coursing through his veins, burning, purging- destroying.

"You're too broken to save... Too dark to... to ever return to who you used to be. You're too lost in your pain and despair to ever be saved. But I'm not sorry for trying." Leo said quietly. He closed his eyes against the light.

"No- this is not-!" Satoshi's scream was cut off as the light exploded from him. Leo smiled, rested his head back into the dirt.

"I take back... what I said- there is... dignity in death for you." Leo said gently. Leonardo appeared from the furthest void of darkness, kneeling beside Leo. Leonardo smiled, and picked him up gently.

_For such a fragile little thing... your strength... is truly amazing._ He stood, Leo limp in his arms.

"Brothers, I leave this to you." Leonardo said, to the blue-clad figures as they stepped out of the darkness, into the light, surrounding Satoshi.

Satoshi lay, writhing on the ground in pain, darkness pouring from him, light eating into him like some corrosive acid. Satoshi screamed and shouted and yelled- and his rage filled eyes fixed on the limp body in Leonardo's arms.

"At least... I have completed my cycle of vengeance." Satoshi hissed. "You come to late- fools! Too late!"

Satoshi screamed as the blue-clad turtles stepped forward, weapons shining in the light, eyes flashing,

"The darkness was too strong! You come too late!" Satoshi's voice was full of tears as he screamed. "Too late to save him!"

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The darkness of Satoshi's home world vanished, around Leonardo and his precious cargo. Slowly, his home came into view. Karai's Tower.

"Leo-!" Karai faltered. She was surrounded by four turtles, two with red bandana's, one with orange, one with purple. "Leonardo?" She gasped.

"Leo!" Three turtles cried out in alarm, running forwards. The remaining red-clad turtle shook his head in sorrow, and closed his eyes.

Leonardo passed the limp body in his arms to Raph. Then, moved past Raph, Donny and Mikey, to Karai.

"Leonardo?" Karai repeated in disbelief. "You... how can this be?"

"That... child over there..." Leonardo smiled sadly, gesturing to the four turtles from another world. The blue-clad one still had not moved, remained still as Raph lowered him to the ground, as Donny checked for any signs of life, as Mikey dissolved into helpless, pained tears.

Raphael stared hard at Leonardo. "You're... not alive... are you?"

Leonardo sighed sadly. "No. I returned... to help him. I fear... I came too late." Leonardo looked away from Raphael and Karai. "I am sorry. Sorry that I failed to defeat Satoshi. Sorry that I left you, sorry that I failed to rescue him."

Karai blinked back tears, choking on the lump in her throat.

"Goodbye, Leonardo." Raphael said weakly. "I'll see you."

"Hopefully, not for a long, long time." Leonardo smiled sadly. "I have missed you all... so terribly." He turned back to Karai. "I..."

"He already told me." Karai whispered, gesturing to Leo. "Can you... help him?" Leonardo shook his head.

"No. Only his brothers can bring him back. The darkness... that defeated me... all of us... now grows deep inside of him. He defeated it once, we can only hope he... manages it again." Leonardo's eyes lowered, full of pain and hatred at himself, for failing once again.

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Raph gripped his brothers hand tightly. "Don?" He demanded.

"He's... breathing. His heart is beating... but..." Donny trailed off, pointing to the ugly black color of Leo's left arm, and upper chest. "I don't know... what that is."

"Darkness." Mikey choked. "It's Darkness."

"What?" Raph demanded angrily, voice breaking. He shook his head, closing his eyes. "Oh, damn." He looked back down at his fallen brother. "Leo... shit, Leo. Please."

Donny looked away, taking a shaking breath. "I don't know how to fix this." He muttered. "I'm sorry. I don't... I don't know how to make this better."

Mikey stared at Donny. _That sounds... so familiar. Like... when... when Satoshi first hurt Leo..._ Mikey rubbed the tears from his eyes.

Raph suddenly drew Leo up into a violent, angry embrace. His face was hidden between Leo's shoulder and neck. Leo's head hung back, his arms limp on the ground. "Damnit- Leo! Wake up! Can you hear me?! Wake up- wake up- _please_!" Raph yelled, voice breaking again, the lump in his throat too painful for him to speak.

Donny's face twisted, he couldn't bare it, couldn't stand the pain inside of him.

Leo took a gasping, hollow breath, and Raph dropped him.

"Raph!" Donny yelled, leaning in close, eyes on Leo closely. He checked for a pulse, that breath- had sounded horribly like a death-rattle. Someone's last breath before they die. His pulse came back, weak slow, but just like before.

"Guys!" Mikey cried out, pointing to Leo's left shoulder and chest. The darkness was receding, pooling below Leo, like blood. All the darkness bled from his body, then flashed- blindingly light, before turning a stark, blood red.

Donny gasped. "Leo!" His eyes never left Leo's chest. "Leo!"

"The Darkness is gone- why isn't he--!" Mikey cried desperately. A cry of pain escaped Raph, and he stood, twisting and walking away. "Raph!"

"I can't do it, Mike. Don't ask me to." Raph croaked. Mikey looked to Donny for an explanation.

Donny shook his head, searching for Leo's fading pusle. He didn't want to answer Mikey. Couldn't find his voice.

_He can't watch Leo die._

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	11. The Way Home

**A/N **STILL don't own the turtles...

the last chapter! woot! I hope ya like!

**Chapter Eleven - The Way Home**

Donny swallowed hard, Leonardo crouched over Leo's body. Raph looked over carefully.

"Is he..." Raph whispered. Leonardo shook his head.

"No, he's alive. But..." Leonardo frowned. "He's not... his body is here, but his mind- his soul, is somewhere else."

"But he's alive?" Donny asked, a hand over his mouth. Leonardo nodded.

"Yes. He is alive. But..." Leonardo shrugged. "I don't know. I'm sorry."

"He's alive. That's all that matters. We'll get 'im back. We always do." Mikey said positively, forcing a weak smile.

"Good. Now, I must send you home. My time here... is almost at an end." Leonardo stood slowly, he sighed. "Are you ready?"

Raph knelt down and picked Leo up, then stood between Mikey and Donny. "Ready."

"Look after him, for me." Leonardo smiled.

"Thank you, for saving him." Mikey said softly.

Leonardo looked away. "I didn't. I failed him."

"Nah. You brought him home, back to us. This's where we take over." Donny replied. Raph nodded his agreement, shifted, held his older brother tighter.

Leonardo almost smiled. "You are fortunate to have him." Raphael sighed. "Never take him for granted, because one day, he'll be gone." Leonardo placed a hand on Raphael's shoulder.

"Goodbye." Leonardo said. "Oh, and tell him..." Leonardo struggled to find the words, to explain what he wanted to say. The four turtles from another world began to slowly vanish. "Tell him, all we did was bring him home. He defeated Satoshi alone. It was his light, his strength; that destroyed Satoshi. He had no need of us. He was strong enough... to do alone, what we could never have done, united."

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Raph lowered Leo onto the bed gently. _Home. We're home bro. Now... now all you needa do is come back to us._ He stood back.

"This... isn't fair." Mikey said flatly. "I'm so sick of loosing him." Donny placed a hand on Mikey's shoulder.

"We haven't lost him, not yet." Donny smiled. "He's just... finding his way back, that's all." Then, Donny turned, preparing to clean and dress Leo's wounds.

Raph nodded silently, holding Leo's hand. "We won't leave ya behind, bro." Mikey's head came up, meeting Raph's eyes. He beamed.

"We'll be waiting."

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_Leo turned, looking through the darkness. He could feel- something... light... warmth- life... somewhere... just beyond his reach._

_He looked around himself, despair bubbling up inside of him- he was alone- weak- tired- he couldn't make it ho-_

"We won't leave ya behind, bro."

"We'll be waiting."

_Leo smiled. They where somewhere- waiting for him. All he had to do... was find them. Find his way home. He could feel them, could almost see them- they where so close. He knew his way back to them, now- he knew the way home. _

_Somewhere, just beyond his reach, he could feel his brothers reaching back for him._

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"I'm close behind."

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The only reason it was so short was because- duhduhduh- I didn't wanna do the whole happy reunion thing. and maybe, I was thinking, I might... if I can ever be bothered, or if people realy enjoyed this story and Angels, that I might write a third one. So I've left it, ike this, so that if I DO write a third one, maybe he DOESN'T make it back. mwahahaha! anyways, I hope ya enjoyed- hope ya liked the story.

and with that, I bid you all, adeui (i don't think I spelt tht right... oh well. nah... definitly didn't spell it right) Ok, lets try this again;

and with that, I bid you- GOODBYE! (I think I spelt _that _right...)

Oh, and please review!! (ya thought I wasn't gonna ask, didn't ya?! mwahahahaha! well, I did, mwaahahacough damnit!)


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